AnÃbal Sánchez delivered a 1-2-3 first inning, striking out Ronald Acuña Jr. to begin the game. Then he retired the dangerous Ozzie Albies and Freddie Freeman on fly balls to center field.
But the next two innings the Braves put together consecutive base hits starting with Adam Duvall's solo homer in the second. Acuña and Albies dropped in back-to-back doubles to score another run in the third inning. In the fourth inning, Johan Camargo, Mike Soroka and Acuña smacked back-to-back-to-back singles for another run.
Just like that, the Braves led 3-1.
In the sixth, Atlanta got back-to-back doubles from Ender Inciarte and Tyler Flowers to score another run to make it 4-1 and end Sánchez's day.
"Today I tried to work a little bit outside the normal," Sánchez said. "I've faced those guys four times already. I think the first time it was like a back-to-back and now it's the same, just a week apart. Those guys, they hit pretty good. They're so smart on the plate, and I try to figure it out. I just want to keep those guys out of balance from the beginning."
A few of the doubles were down the line, but there were five them, and one homer. The 10 hits Sánchez gave up are the most he has allowed in a game since September 10, 2017, when he was pitching for the Tigers and the Blue Jays got 12 off him.
In yesterday's game, Sánchez decided to pitch the Braves outside more than he had previously. But that allowed for those doubles to be pushed down the line.
"Especially because I normally throw a lot of inside against them - cutter, front-door - and I want to stay away from that," Sánchez said. "I'm looking for ground ball, weak contact."
Nationals manager Davey Martinez said that the Braves didn't hit Sánchez all that hard, but that they did manage to hit balls to where the Nats defense was not.
"I wouldn't call them shots," Martinez said of the Braves' doubles. "Just a lot of off-the-end, jam shots. They were able to find some holes today. I thought he pitched OK today. Just a little up, but he got some big outs. He kept us in the ballgame."
Sánchez allowed four runs for the first time since June 22, also against the Braves, but managed to wiggle out of a decision because the Nats rallied to tie the game in the ninth. And for the Nats to catch the Braves, they need the right-hander to be as consistent as he has been for two months.