Nationals blanked 9-0 by Braves as Morales, Simpson debut
Washington was shut out 9-0 by Atlanta on September 2, a day after Yohandy Morales and Jared Simpson debuted in a 9-5 win and James Wood was activated off the injured list.
Cornelio's early exit ends the streak
The Nationals were blanked 9-0 by Atlanta on September 2, a night after riding Yohandy Morales' MLB-debut power for a 9-5 win in the series opener. Riley Cornelio lasted just 2.2 innings in the finale, allowing 3 runs on 3 hits and a walk while striking out 3, and Washington's bats went quiet against the Braves after erupting a day earlier.
Braves9-5Braves0-9The split leaves Washington at 67-75, 17 games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East with an elimination number down to 5. The Nationals are 3-2 in their last 5 games, a stretch that also included 2 wins over Miami at Nationals Park before the Braves arrived.
that two-game series finale → t.co/HyMhWpLQbB
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Yohandy Morales made his major league debut in Tuesday's win, going 3-for-5 with a homer, double and single. Mark Zuckerman reported he was called up from Rochester that day along with left-hander Jared Simpson, who entered with 2 on and nobody out in the 5th and worked 3 perfect innings to earn the win — a debut that came, per Zuckerman, a day after Simpson was at a Rochester Men's Wearhouse getting fitted for a friend's wedding suit.
The moves cost Washington a roster spot: catcher Drew Millas was transferred to the 60-day injured list, and Andrew Pinckney was optioned to Rochester after Tuesday's game, per Zuckerman, paving the way for James Wood to be activated off the injured list and back in the lineup behind starter Brad Lord.
Catcher Keibert Ruiz, meanwhile, passed concussion protocol after his removal from Wednesday's game against Atlanta, according to Danielle Allentuck of The Washington Post, and is considered day-to-day.
Upcoming
Washington sends Jackson Kent to the mound when the Nationals are in Los Angeles Friday night, opposite a Dodgers starter still to be named. Kent is 1-2 with a 5.59 ERA and won his last start, on August 28 against Miami, allowing just 1 run on 3 hits over 7 innings despite 4 walks on 106 pitches.
With the Dodgers' starter unannounced, the market hasn't set a clear favorite or total for the opener. Washington arrives with James Wood back in the lineup and Morales and Simpson fresh off standout debuts, giving a club 17 games out of first something to build on even as the price for Friday remains unsettled.