09/01/26 09:22:00
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09/01 21:21 CDT Yohandy Morales homers and has 3 hits in his debut as the
Nationals top the Braves 9-5
Yohandy Morales homers and has 3 hits in his debut as the Nationals top the
Braves 9-5
By NOAH TRISTER
AP Baseball Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) --- Yohandy Morales homered in his first major league game and
Jared Simpson earned the win in relief in his own debut, helping the Washington
Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 9-5 on Tuesday night.
The Nationals called up Morales and Simpson before the game, with major league
rosters expanding from 26 to 28. After striking out his first time up, Morales
hit a solo shot in the third inning. Simpson (1-0) entered in the fifth with
Washington up 5-2 and induced a double play and a flyout after inheriting a
first-and-second, nobody-out situation.
Then he worked two more perfect innings.
The 24-year-old Morales, who hit 25 homers for Triple-A Rochester this year,
also singled and doubled in an impressive debut.
AJ Smith-Shawver (0-1) allowed five runs and six hits in four innings. Ozzie
Albies and Michael Harris II homered for the Braves, whose lead over
Philadelphia atop the NL East dropped to 3 1/2 games, with the Phillies playing
at Arizona later Tuesday.
Albies homered for the Braves in the second, but Washington answered with four
runs in the bottom half. CJ Abrams hit a two-run single with two outs, and
Brady House added a two-run double.
Drake Baldwin doubled home a run in the third for Atlanta. Morales went deep
leading off the bottom half.
Morales doubled to lead off the seventh, when the Nationals added two more
runs. Reliever Brent Suter threw wildly to first on a pickoff attempt for an
error, allowing a run to score from third. Then Jacob Young hit an RBI single
to make it 8-2.
The 26-year-old Simpson had a 2.30 ERA in 58 2/3 innings at Double-A and
Triple-A this year. He faced eight batters and got nine outs, striking out
three.
The Braves called up veteran infielder Kyle Farmer and 25-year-old right-hander
Blake Burkhalter. Burkhalter made his big league debut in the sixth, allowing
one run.
Up next
Grant Holmes (9-5, 3.71 ERA) pitches for the Braves on Wednesday against the
Nationals' Brad Lord (5-2, 3.75).
___
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