ATLANTA (AP) — Kyle Wright won his major league-leading 19th game, Austin Riley and Eddie Rosario homered and the Atlanta Braves beat the Washington Nationals 5-2 on Monday night.
The defending World Series champions won their ninth straight home game to improve to 92-55. Atlanta began the day one game behind the first-place New York Mets in the NL East.
Wright (19-5) won his sixth consecutive decision, allowing two runs and eight hits with one walk and seven strikeouts in six innings. The Braves improved to 22-6 in Wright’s starts this season, including seven straight wins. Wright threw 64 of 88 pitches for strikes.
Riley hit his 37th homer, second-best in the NL, and his eighth against the Nationals in 14 games this year. He went deep in the first off Cory Abbott, his 368-foot shot barely clearing the wall in left field. Rosario connected off Steve Cishek to make it 5-2 in the seventh, his fifth homer traveling 392 feet to right.
Last-place Washington dropped to 51-96 and lost for the seventh time in nine games.
Wright is 3-0 with a 3.15 ERA in three starts this year against the Nationals. The No. 5 overall draft pick of 2017 gave up a single in the first, the second and the fourth but didn’t allow a runner into scoring position until Ildemaro Vargas doubled to begin the fifth.
Vargas advanced on C.J. Abrams’ single and scored on Victor Robles’ sacrifice fly. Wright issued his lone walk before Alex Call doubled to drive in Abrams to trim the lead to 4-2. Wright gave up singles to Joey Meneses and Vargas in the sixth but struck out Riley Adams to end the threat.
Jesse Chavez faced the minimum in the seventh, Raisel Iglesias faced four batters in the eighth, and Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth for his NL-leading 35th save in 42 chances.
The Braves scored three runs in the fourth. Riley walked and advanced on a double by Matt Olson that ended an 0-for-22 stretch, then scored on Travis d’Arnaud’s single. Michael Harris II followed with an RBI single. He stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error by Adams and scored on William Contreras’ sacrifice fly.
Atlanta has outscored opponents 39-12 during its home winning streak. The Braves last won nine straight as part of a modern era-record 13-game home winning streak in 2019. At 51-25 at home, the Braves are second in the NL in home winning percentage.
Facing Atlanta for the first time, Abbott (0-3) allowed four runs and six hits in four innings, his ERA rising 51 points to 5.70 in seven starts this season.
Meneses went 4 for 4, each of his hits a single.
The Braves improved to 11-3 against Washington this season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: Manager Dave Martinez said DH Nelson Cruz (eye inflammation) is doing better after taking eye drops but might need a couple more days before he rejoins the lineup. … LHP MacKenzie Gore (left shoulder inflammation) will throw a bullpen Tuesday. If that goes well, he will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester. … C Keibert Ruiz (testicular contusion) and RHP Cade Cavalli (right shoulder inflammation) are traveling with the team but aren’t expected to return this season. … RHP Victor Arano (right shoulder strain) played catch.
STERLING SEASON
Wright is bidding to become the first Braves pitcher to lead the NL in wins since Russ Ortiz had 21 in 2003. The last Atlanta pitcher to lead the majors in wins was Tom Glavine in 2000. The Hall of Famer won 21 times that year.
UP NEXT
Braves RHP Charlie Morton (8-6, 4.17 ERA) will face LHP Patrick Corbin (6-18, 6.11) as the teams play the second game of a three-game series Tuesday.
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