Max Fried gave up an infield single in seven shutout innings, and the Atlanta Braves opened their NL East showdown with the Washington Nationals with a 4-2 win Thursday night.
Fried (16-4, 3.86 ERA) outdueled Stephen Strasburg (16-6, 3.50 ERA), who gave up two runs in the first on a pop-fly double to Ozzie Albies and a soft single to center by Freddie Freeman.
Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a solo homer in the fifth, his 37th of the season.
Strasburg gave up three runs on four hits in six innings of work, striking out seven and walking four.
The Nats didn’t get on the board until a two-run Victor Robles homer in the ninth.
Washington (78-61) brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth, but Howie Kendrick grounded out to third to end it.
The loss gives the Braves (87-54) an eight-game lead in the NL East race.
Story by Chris Graham
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