Austin Riley delivers as Braves walk-off Nationals in 12 innings

The Atlanta Braves outlasted the Washington Nationals on Sunday afternoon, as Austin Riley carried the day and delivered a walk-off single in the 12th inning for a 4-3 win.

Ian Anderson got off to a good enough start as he struck out Luis Garcia and Josh Bell to begin the game. Juan Soto beat the shift with a single and then moved all the way to third on a fir-t pitch single by Nelson Cruz. However, Anderson worked his way out of the jam as Keibert Ruiz grounded out softly to Orlando Arcia to end the inning.

Anderson got through the second with another strikeout and a pair of groundouts, the second of which was on an outstanding diving stop by first baseman Matt Olson.

Paolo Espino held the Braves in check for the first two innings but ran into trouble in the third. Dansby Swanson singled with one out and then moved all the way to third on a single by Olson. Austin Riley followed with another single to left that scored Swanson to give Atlanta a 1-0 lead.

Espino walked Marcell Ozuna to load the bases and Eddie Rosario followed with a sacrifice fly to right that scored Olson to make it 2-0.

Anderson allowed a leadoff walk to Cruz in the fourth, but retired the next three hitters in order to leave him stranded. He added another strikeout in a perfect fifth. Anderson came back out for the sixth and got Josh Bell to ground out for the first out, but then issued back-to-back walks to Soto and Cruz. That would be the end of the line for Anderson as Brian Snitker would summon Dylan Lee from the bullpen who got Keibert Ruiz to fly out, but then allowed a three-run shot to pinch-hitter Lane Thomas to put the Nationals in front 3-2.

The walks came back to haunt Anderson late. He allowed two hits, four walks and two runs over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five while throwing 94 pitches. It was another start where his line was substantially marred by being allowed to face the order a third time — he retired just one of the three batters he faced after batter number 18, and two of his four walks came in those three batters.

Darren O’Day got Maikel Franco to fly out to start the seventh, but then allowed a single to Victor Robles. Robles stole second on the next pitch and then advanced to third as William Contreras’ throw down sailed into centerfield. O’Day then walked Luis Garcia in a nine-pitch at-bat to put runners at the corners with just one out. Snitker went back to his bullpen and brought in Tyler Matzek to face Bell, who bounced into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.

Matzek stayed in and struck out Cruz in a perfect eighth. Austin Riley led off the home half of the inning with his 23rd home run of the season to tie the game.

Jesse Chavez came on and tossed a scoreless inning in the ninth. Ronald Acuña Jr. worked a leadoff walk against Carl Edwards Jr. to start the home half of the ninth. Swanson popped out for the first out. Acuña moved up to second on a ground out by Olson, but he was left stranded as Edwards struck out Riley to end the threat.

Alcides Escobar pinch-ran for Maikel Franco at second to start the 10th. Robles dropped down a sacrifice bunt to start the inning. With the infield in, Chavez got Luis Garcia to ground out to Swanson for the second out. He then struck out Josh Bell to strand the runner at third.

The Braves opened the 10th with Riley at second base. Ozuna and Rosario both flew out for the first two outs. William Contreras followed with a grounder that Escobar was unable to handle, but he recovered and threw home in time to nab Riley at the plate, sending the game to the 11th.

Collin McHugh replaced Chavez in the 11th and the Braves issued an intentional walk to Soto to start the inning. McHugh then got Cruz to bounce into a 4-6-3 double play and struck out Keibert Ruiz to leave another runner at third base.

Travis d’Arnaud pinch-hit for Orlando Arcia with Contreras at second to start the 11th. d’Arnaud grounded out to third for the first out, but Michael Harris followed with a bloop single to right to put runners at the corners. Acuña was unable to get the job done as he popped out to Ruiz in foul territory for the second out. Tanner Rainey got Swanson to fly out to right to end the inning.

McHugh allowed an infield single in the 12th, but got Robles to fly out with runners at the corners. With Dansby Swanson at second base, the Nationals walked Olson to start the inning. Riley followed with a walk-off winner to left that scored Swanson to give the Braves a 4-3 win.

Atlanta completes the three-game sweep and now trail the Mets by just 1.5 games.