Series Recap: Braves vs. Nationals

The Braves got a small bit of payback against the Nats, winning two of three in Atlanta after taking it on the chin for nine straight losses. We saw three Braves have their major-league debuts, a first major-league hit and RBI, and a walk-off win.

Shelby Miller and Jordan Zimmermann faced off in a rematch from last week, but Miller gave up four in the first inning and Zimmermann cruised to a 6-1 win over the Braves in the opener. Jake Brigham and Ryan Kelly debuted out of the bullpen for the Braves, their first major-league action after nine years in the minors. Brigham tossed three scoreless innings while Kelly allowed a run in his lone inning of work.

The Braves had their own four-run inning against Doug Fister on Wednesday. A.J. Pierzynski and Juan Uribe hit back-to-back homers in the fourth inning to support Matt Wisler, whose first major-league hit and RBI gave the Braves a 4-0 lead en route to a 4-1 win. Wisler walked five in 5.1 innings, but allowed just one hit and struck out six. This win snapped Washington's nine-game winning streak against the Braves.

The rubber game featured Max Scherzer and Manny Banuelos, who was making his major-league debut. Scherzer was coming off three spectacular outings and this one was no different, but Banuelos was up to the task, striking out seven in 5.2 innings before leaving with cramping. Scherzer was still pitching in the ninth inning of a 1-1 ballgame when Cameron Maybin singled home the winning run. The Nats tried contesting that the ball was foul when it bounced over third base, but no dice. The Braves have won their first series against the Nats this year out of four played.

And they did it without Freddie Freeman.