Disastrous sixth inning looms large for Nats in loss to Braves (updated)

ATLANTA – Davey Martinez has managed games of far more significance since joining the Nationals in 2018, but since Day One he has treated every single one of them the same way, forever looking just to "go 1-0 today."

So Martinez managed his 1,000th career game with the same goal as any of the previous 999, which meant doing whatever he thought necessary to try to beat the Braves tonight in another tight, low-scoring affair.

That meant pulling starter Jake Irvin after 5 1/3 innings with a pitch count of 83 and entrusting a big moment to Robert Garcia, a move that backfired and ultimately led to the Nats’ 4-2 loss before a sellout crowd at Truist Park.

Pitching for the third straight day, Garcia gave up the game-tying and go-ahead runs during a ragged bottom of the sixth that defined this affair. And when fellow left-hander Joe La Sorsa surrendered an insurance run in the eighth and the Nationals lineup continued to come up short with runners in scoring position (0-for-9), Martinez’s 550th career loss became official.

The Nats also missed out on a second straight opportunity to clinch a season series against the Braves for the first time since 2017. They’re still 6-4 against Atlanta this year, still needing to win one of the final three head-to-head matchups.

"Losing stinks," Irvin said. "You don't like to lose. But we're a young team. We're learning. And we're giving ourselves chances to win, which is something you have to be really hopeful about and really grateful for. Because we're competing. We're giving ourselves the opportunity to be in these games."

It’s been an erratic summer for Irvin, who entered this one with a 6.20 ERA over his last eight starts, having been victimized by 14 home runs along the way. But he didn’t have to think too far back to remember the success he’s had against the Braves: 12 scoreless innings with 14 strikeouts in two head-to-head matchups earlier this season.

And Irvin picked up right where he left off when he took the mound tonight, posting four straight zeros to begin his evening. He did so despite putting five runners on base during those four innings, helped in large part by a pair of double plays induced off Marcell Ozuna’s bat.

"I think we've put together some very good reports; Keibert (Ruiz) and I have been on the same page when we face these guys," Irvin said. "For me, it's just been about execution. They're a really good lineup, and coming into this start knowing you've got to be at your best and executing, I think, has helped us have a lot of success."

The scoreless streak finally came to an end in Irvin’s fifth inning of this game, his 17th inning of the season against the Braves, when Orlando Arcia got a high curveball and drove it down the left field line for a solo homer. Then came the bottom of the sixth, at which point the wheels fell off.

Irvin surrendered back-to-back singles to open the frame, though Joey Gallo bailed him out by throwing out Ozuna trying to stretch his base hit to right field into a double. His pitch count was only 83, but with the left-handed Matt Olson due up, Martinez pulled his starter and for the third straight day signaled to the bullpen for Garcia.

"He started getting the ball up a little bit," Martinez said of Irvin. "His velo was down a little bit that inning. We had the right matchup with Robert."

Garcia had retired all five batters he faced Thursday and Friday, four via strikeout, including Olson in a big spot in the series opener. He did not retire any of the three batters he faced tonight, giving up the game-tying double to Olson (who missed a homer by inches) on an 0-2 fastball and the go-ahead single to Travis d’Arnaud on a 1-2 fastball.

"His stuff was good. Before the game, he said he was good," Martinez said of Garcia. "Just two missed locations."

The inning devolved from there, with CJ Abrams committing another error at shortstop, José Tena and Ruiz letting a routine foul ball land between them and nearly colliding in the process, and Ruiz and Rainey both chasing down a wild pitch while leaving the plate uncovered. Somehow, they did not allow any more runs to score, so the Nationals at least still had a chance, trailing 3-2 heading to the seventh.

"I think the game just speeds up on our guys a little bit," Martinez said. "We've just got to relax in certain situations. Just make the plays. Make the routine plays."

As was the case Friday night, the Nats gave themselves a number of opportunities to extend their early lead. And as was the case Friday night, they did not make the most of those opportunities and left themselves hoping two runs would be enough to win the game.

Those two runs came on one swing from Tena, who blasted a changeup from Charlie Morton to right-center for his first career homer and a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. The rookie third baseman, one of three prospects acquired from the Guardians for Lane Thomas, is now batting .400 (14-for-35) since joining the Nationals. (Thomas, for those who haven’t been paying attention, is 7-for-63 with 30 strikeouts since arriving in Cleveland.)

"A great opportunity to be able to play every day," Tena said, via interpreter Octavio Martinez. "I wasn't able to get it last year. I felt like I some opportunity, but not like I am this season. I thank God for getting the opportunity to show what I can do."

The Nats seemed to have Morton on the ropes all night, but they went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position against the 40-year-old right-hander and made yet another out on the bases, with Jacob Young picked off to end the top of the second and strand Andrés Chaparro on third.

Those squandered opportunities loomed large later on during another tight ballgame.

"I can honestly tell you that they are pressing to try to get the runs in," Martinez said. "We've got a lot of young guys. They've just got to keep things simple. They can't chase. We need to get the ball in the zone and just try to stay in the big part of the field."