Nationals offense stalls in 4-1 loss

The Braves did all of their damage in the fourth inning against right-hander Doug Fister to end a nine-game losing streak against the Nationals with a 4-1 win.

"I was fighting myself a little bit," Fister said to reporters. "Period. Didn't get my job done. I didn't keep our team in the game and that hurts."

Fister faced only 10 batters in the first three innings, yielding just one walk without a hit. But in the crucial fourth, the Braves sent nine to the plate with five delivering hits. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski and third baseman Juan Uribe banged out back-to-back homers and Braves starter Matt Wisler even chipped in with an RBI single.

Pierzynski seemed to have Fister measured up pretty well in his seven-pitch at-bat. The 38-year-old veteran sent Fister's fourth pitch sailing just past the right field foul pole. Three pitches later, Pierzyski drilled a cutter over the wall in right for a two-run homer.

"I'm pretty sure I left it over the plate," Fister told reporters. "He was pretty much sitting on it, I think, and he got it. I tip my cap to him."

Fister quickly fell behind and Uribe made him pay, smacking a 3-0 offering deep over the center field wall.

"I tried to fight my way back with a fastball," Fister said. "It was kind of a challenge. He won the challenge."

The consecutive blasts were a bit of a surprise for a Braves team that's dead last in home runs in the majors this season.

The deficit was too much for the Nationals, who only managed one hit against Wisler, Atlanta's 22-year-old rookie. Wisler held Washington scoreless over his 5 1/3 innings despite battling control issues with five walks.

"He was effectively wild," Denard Span said to reporters. "I mean, he had some walks. We had some guys on and we just couldn't capitalize. When guys got on base he made a pitch and got a double play and got out of the inning. We had him on the ropes a couple times."

Span drove in the Nationals' only run on a single in the seventh, but Washington never really threatened against a collection of five Braves relievers who followed Wisler to the hill.

Fister said he wasn't bothered by the 2 hour 9 minute rain delay before the start of the game. He wasn't nearly as sharp as when he overmatched the Braves last Thursday in seven shutout innings.

On Wednesday night, Fister threw 98 pitches in just his third start since coming off the 15-day disabled list after dealing with a right flexor strain in his forearm.

"I feel like I'm in the right spot," Fister said to reporters. "Things are starting to get back to normal. It's just a matter of fine-tuning and really getting back to your game plan. It's little misses here and there, and that's what I've got to get better at."

The Nationals will send ace Max Scherzer to the mound on Thursday night as Washington goes for their fourth straight series win.