Rendon, Nationals slam 1st-place Braves

[July 30, 2019]  Anthony Rendon hit a grand slam to break a sixth-inning tie, and Patrick Corbin allowed two runs in six innings as the Washington Nationals beat the visiting Atlanta Braves 6-3 on Monday.

Rendon (2-for-5) lofted a shot to left off reliever Chad Sobotka for his 125th career homer and the third grand slam of his career. That gave him 500 RBIs in his career with 23 homers and 80 RBIs this season. He leads major league third basemen with a 1.020 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

Corbin (9-5) allowed five hits and a walk while striking out eight. He has not lost since June 11.

Atlanta starter Dallas Keuchel (3-4) gave up four runs on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.

After the Braves tied the game 2-2 in the top of the sixth, Washington rallied in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Yan Gomez walked and Adrian Sanchez singled. Sobotka replaced Keuchel and struck out Trea Turner before walking Adam Eaton to load the bases.

Rendon then unloaded on a 2-0 fastball.

The Nationals took a 1-0 lead in the first. Eaton was hit by a pitch with one out and took second on a passed ball. He scored on a two-out single by Juan Soto.

Washington doubled the lead in the second. Gomes led off with a walk and took second on a sacrifice bunt by Corbin before Turner hit an RBI double.

The Braves trimmed the deficit to 2-1 in the fourth when Freddie Freeman (three hits) singled with one out and later scored on a throwing error by Washington's Rendon.

Braves starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel (60) delivers pitch against the Washington Nationals in the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Adam Duvall's sacrifice fly drove in Freeman in the sixth to tie the game at 2. The drive by Duvall was caught up against the fence in left by Soto in front of the Braves bullpen. Also in the sixth, Josh Donaldson got his 1,000th career hit as his single sent Freeman to third.

Wander Suero pitched a scoreless seventh for Washington, and Fernando Rodney did the same in the eighth. Sean Doolittle pitched the ninth in a non-save situation and gave up a solo homer to pinch hitter Charlie Culberson.

--Field Level Media

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