Williams, Nats silence Braves again en route to series win

ATLANTA – The Nationals were dominant in every facet of their four-game series against the Braves at Truist Park.

Washington shut down Atlanta’s bats to take two of the first three games and Trevor Williams kept it going in Thursday’s finale to help the Nationals to a series-clinching 3-1 win.

Williams (5-0) allowed one earned run on four hits over 5 2/3 innings pitched, and he struck out four and walked two. Williams’ ERA is now 2.22, 11th-lowest among all qualified pitchers in Major League Baseball.

The righty has worked at least five innings and allowed no more than three runs in 10 of his first 11 starts this season. He is one of four pitchers in the Majors with at least five wins and no losses.

“Going into the fourth game of the series, you get a feel for what the lineup is going to do,” Williams said. “All the guys the last three days gave [us] tremendous outings. We were able to execute our game plan for the most part and it was a well-fought win for us. The guys behind me were able to make some plays. We were able to execute pitches and get out of jams.”

In the series, Washington starting pitchers covered 23 1/3 innings, allowing 17 hits, six runs (five earned), with four walks and 30 strikeouts. Jake Irvin and MacKenzie Gore accounted for 20 of the strikeouts, as they each struck out 10 batters in back-to-back games.

“The strides that MacKenzie and Jake have taken this year and to see what Mitchell [Parker] has done is unbelievable,” Williams said. “I’m excited to see what they can do for the rest of the year.”

Over its last eight games, Washington’s rotation has a 2.27 ERA with 56 strikeouts and seven walks in 47 2/3 innings.

Washington outscored Atlanta 18-9 and outhit the Braves 43-26 over the four games.

“It was a good series to see our whole team compete and do what they did,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “Not one guy is doing it. Everybody is contributing. It’s been a good series.”

The Nationals were 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position on Thursday but the two hits did the job. In the top of the third, Braves starting pitcher Ray Kerr hit Jacob Young with a pitch and issued a two-out walk to Lane Thomas. That set the table for Joey Meneses, who hit a two-run double down the right-field line that proved to be the game-winner. Meneses went 2-for-4 on the night and drove in his 25th and 26th runs of the season.

“I was conscious of the fact that he was possibly going to pitch me inside that at-bat,” Meneses said through an interpreter. “I was actually trying to sit on [an] offspeed [pitch] because that’s what he threw the first at-bat. I was staying back on the offspeed.”

The next batter, Jesse Winker, roped an RBI double to left to give the Nationals a 3-0 lead.

Atlanta’s lone run scored when Michael Harris II hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Jarred Kelenic in the bottom of the third.

After Williams’ departure, four Nationals relievers kept the Braves scoreless over 3 1/3 innings of one-hit ball. In the series, Washington’s bullpen covered 11 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on nine hits with four walks and 13 strikeouts.

“I think we attacked the zone and tried to stay ahead as much as possible,” said Hunter Harvey, who has the second-most holds in MLB after earning his 17th on Thursday. “It’s a lot harder to hit when you’re ahead and in control a little bit.”

Harvey gave up a two-out double to Marcell Ozuna in the bottom of the eighth and Matt Olson took the plate, representing the potential game-tying run. Harvey struck out Olson to end the frame and Kyle Finnegan had a shutdown ninth to earn his 15th save.

“For me, I don’t care if it’s a fly ball to the warning track or a punchout,” Harvey said. “Getting an out is the main thing and then turning the ball over to [Finnegan] in the ninth.”

The Nationals (26-29) have won five of their last seven games and six of their last 10. Washington has seven four-game series wins against the Braves and this was its first since August 18-21, 2016.

“I think it’s very important for the confidence of this team, knowing that we beat a very good team in Atlanta who is always in the fight and in the playoffs,” Meneses said. “They’re a very good team. It gives this team a big boost in confidence.”