Freeman sets tone versus Gonzalez (Braves win 8-0)

By Byron Kerr

Nationals

September 12, 2017, 4:16pm

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The Braves came out quickly against left-hander Gio Gonzalez.

Matt Kemp delivered a run-scoring single to put the Braves up 1-0 in the first inning.

Then, in the third inning, Ender Inciarte walked. Ozzie Albies singled. Michael A. Taylor bobbled the ball in center field and threw high and late to third base. Inciarte moved to third and Albies to second. Taylor was tagged with a fielding error.

Freddie Freeman then crushed a three-run shot to deep center field. His 26th homer of the year expanded the Atlanta lead to 4-0.

The Nationals have been unable to tally a run against Julio Teheran. Howie Kendrick singled in the first, but was caught stealing. In the second, Ryan Zimmerman and Taylor singled, but Matt Wieters flew out to right field to end the rally.

In the fourth, the Braves added another run on Inciarte's RBI double.

Mid-fourth, the Braves lead the Nats 5-0.

Update: Gonzalez finished five innings, scattered seven hits, allowed five runs, one walk and struck out eight. He threw 90 pitches, 60 for strikes. The Freeman three-run shot changed the entire game.

Facing A.J. Cole, the Braves tallied a RBI single from Teheran in the sixth and a solo homer by Albies in the seventh to extend the lead to 7-0. Kurt Suzuki's ground-rule double scored Freeman to make it 8-0.

Update II: In the ninth against Braves reliever Luke Jackson, Anthony Rendon singled with one out. With two outs, Taylor singled and Rendon took third base. With two men on and two away, Pedro Severino grounded out to shortstop to end the game.

Final score: the Braves 8, the Nats 0.

This is the sixth time this season the Nats have been shutout.