Recap: Washington vs. Atlanta
Sports Network | August 31, 2008
Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Aaron Boone hit the go-ahead three-run homer and added an RBI single to lead the Washington Nationals to an 8-4 win and a three-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves. Willie Harris went 3-for-5, drove in a run and scored for the Nationals, who scored five runs in the eighth to extend their season-high win streak to six games. Collin Balester gave up four runs on six hits in seven innings, and Garrett Mock (1-3) picked up the win for a scoreless inning of relief. Jair Jurrjens gave up five hits and three runs in six innings, with seven strikeouts and three walks. Elmer Dessens (0-1) was ripped for four hits and five runs while recording just one out in the eighth inning for the Braves, who have dropped four of five. Yunel Escobar belted a three-run homer in the fourth to put Atlanta on top, but it wouldn't hold up against Washington. The streaking Nationals plated five runs off Dessens and Will Ohman in the eighth to take control. Ryan Zimmerman singled to left, and Dessens walked Elijah Dukes, who won Saturday's game with a bases-loaded walk in the 10th. That set the stage for Boone, who ripped a shot out to left-center, his sixth homer of the season, to vault the Nats ahead 6-4. Washington wasn't done, though, adding runs on RBI singles by Wil Nieves and Cristian Guzman later in the frame to pad its lead to four runs. Jesus Colome worked around a one-out double by pinch-hitter Brian McCann in the ninth, and the Nats held on for their sixth straight win. Omar Infante's RBI single gave the Braves a 1-0 lead in the first, but Dukes had an RBI ground out, and Boone followed with an RBI single in the home half for a 2-1 Washington edge. Escobar's three-run homer to left, his eighth of the season, gave Atlanta a 4-2 lead in the fourth. Harris' RBI single to left in the home half pulled the Nats within one run. Game Notes Washington left eight runners on base...Guzman went 2-for-5, drove in a run, and scored for Washington...Prado scored twice for Atlanta. Game Notes Washington left eight runners on base...Guzman went 2-for-5, drove in a run, and scored for Washington...Prado scored twice for Atlanta.
