WASHINGTON — Stephen Strasburg pitched five shutout innings in his return from the disabled list, Anthony Rendon tied his career-high with four hits and the Washington Nationals defeated the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Wilson Ramos added three hits for the Nationals, who have won four straight while allowing a total of four runs.
Strasburg (4-5), who missed 21 games with neck tightness, was resilient in his return. He allowed baserunners in four of five innings, but only one got as far as second base.
It was Strasburg’s first scoreless start this season.
The right-hander allowed four hits and a walk while striking out six. He was lifted after throwing 94 pitches in a game that was delayed 2 hours and 12 minutes at the start by rain.
Cameron Maybin homered in the eighth inning, and Nick Markakis had three hits for Atlanta.
Alex Wood (4-5) allowed three runs and 10 hits over seven innings.
Washington’s David Carpenter came on to retire Juan Uribe with two men on in the eighth.
Drew Storen pitched a scoreless ninth — despite loading the bases — for his 21st save.
Atlanta struggled to score without first baseman Freddie Freeman, who has been out since last Thursday and went on the disabled list Tuesday with a bruised right wrist.
Freeman is a career .340 hitter with nine homers, 44 RBIs, and 44 runs scored against Washington.
The Nationals got to Wood for runs in three of the first four innings.
Denard Span doubled leading off the first and scored on a single by Rendon.
Rendon came in hitting .230, and had gone 2 for 16 over his last four games.
In the third, Michael A. Taylor singled and took second when Maybin misplayed the ball in centre field. Taylor stole third and came home on Span’s one-out single past a drawn-in infield.
Washington made it 3-0 in the fourth when Taylor’s drove in Danny Espinosa.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: An MRI on Monday did not reveal a more serious injury for Freeman. "Just a contusion," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "Hopefully, we get him back sooner than later."
Nationals: Manager Matt Williams said 1B Ryan Zimmerman (left foot plantar fasciitis) took some swings for the first time since going on the DL.
UP NEXT
Atlanta RHP Shelby Miller (5-3, 1.99) takes a 0.73 ERA over four career starts against the Nationals into Wednesday’s game. He will face LHP Jordan Zimmermann (5-5, 3.75), who has lost three straight starts.
