Braves Lose Series Opener to Nationals 8-4

Nationals' Pitching Staff Impresses

Despite strong performances from their starting pitchers, the Atlanta Braves fell to the Washington Nationals 8-4 in the series opener. Washington's pitching staff combined for an impressive 3.83 ERA, the 11th best in the majors.

DJ Herz Dealt Tough-Luck Loss

Braves starter DJ Herz pitched admirably, allowing only two earned runs and striking out seven batters. However, he was tagged with the loss as the Nationals offense proved too much to overcome.

Nationals Continue to Impress

The Nationals' victory extends their winning streak to four games. They now sit at 13-12 on the season, good for second place in the NL East. CJ Abrams leads the team with a .317 batting average and 15 straight games reaching base.