Late hitting takes Washington Nationals over Atlanta Braves, 7-3: MLB Update
Alex Cora hit a tying double in ninth, Ian Desmond added leading doubles and Jayson Werth launched a homer as the Washington Nationals overpowered the Atlanta Braves by 7-3, in second-straight outing of the three-games series held at the Turner Field, on
Wednesday May 11.
The Nationals were facing two-run deficit in the ninth inning, when the pinch-hitter, Cora, entered the plate for his second at-bat and touched a runs batted in (RBI) to a 3-3 tying double, forcing the game into the tenth inning.
Both the sides were unable to generate any run in the tenth inning and therefore the game entered in the eleventh inning. In the top of this inning, the Nationals’ short-stop, Desmond, playing for his sixth at-bat, added an RBI double off the Braves closer,
Scott Linebrink, to take his club to 5-3. In the next pitch, Jayson launched a two-run homer to cement the Nationals’ eighteenth triumph in 2011.
The Nationals’ starter, John Lannan, after giving the Braves a led off double in the first inning, struck back brilliantly and remained scoreless in his later innings. The 26-year-old pitcher, who has two wins to his name this season, gave these two runs
on five hits, three walks and struck-out three batters.
The Nationals' Laynce Nix hit an RBI single off the Braves' starter, Tommy Hanson, in the second inning to trim the lead to 1-2. Both the starters then recuperated excellently and did not give any run until the Nationals’ Doug Slaten relieved Lannan in the
seventh inning and gave away a two-run homer to the Braves’ Eric Hinske.
Besides Lannan and Slaten, the Nationals' pitchers did not consume any run over their short spells. Todd Coffey, Sean Burnett and Drew Storen remained score-less while the closer, Tim Clippard, pitched another perfect last inning in second straight game.
On the other side, Hanson was phenomenal in his five and 2/3 innings, giving away just one run on five his and two walks while striking out three batters. He received full support from relievers, Cory Gearrin, Eric O’Flaherty, Jonny Venters and George Sherrill,
who held the Nationals score-less.
However, the right-hand relief pitcher, Craig Kimbrel, consumed two crucial runs on three hits and walked one batters over just one inning. Closer Linebrink also yielded four runs on four hits including a homer over just one and 1/3 innings to bear his first
loss of the season.
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