Major League Baseball
Atlanta 2, Washington 0
When: 3:45 PM ET, Wednesday, April 7, 2021
Where: Nationals Park, Washington, District of Columbia
Temperature: 81°
Umpires: Home - Brennan Miller, 1B - Carlos Torres, 2B - Alfonso Marquez, 3B - Adam Beck
Attendance: 4927

Pablo Sandoval hit a two-run pinch-hit homer in the top of the seventh inning and the visiting Atlanta Braves defeated the Washington Nationals 2-0 to sweep a doubleheader on Wednesday.

Sandoval hit a 3-2 fastball from Tanner Rainey (0-1) to center for his second homer of the season -- both as a pinch hitter -- after Dansby Swanson had singled with two outs.

Ronald Acuna Jr. had three hits and scored twice to lead the Braves to a 7-6 win in the first game.

Luke Jackson (1-0) pitched a scoreless sixth inning, and Sean Newcomb struck out the side in the seventh for his first save as Atlanta won the final two games of the three-game series.

Washington's Stephen Strasburg pitched six shutout innings in his 2021 debut. The right-hander allowed only one hit, while striking out eight and walking two on 85 pitches. He retired the last 10 batters he faced.

In 2020, Strasburg pitched just five innings before his season ended and he ultimately underwent surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Atlanta starter Huascar Ynoa went five innings, allowing no runs on two hits, with five strikeouts and a walk.

Victor Robles led off the Washington sixth with a walk, stole second, and went to third on a flyout. Juan Soto was walked intentionally, but Starlin Castro grounded out.

The Nationals remain without starting pitchers Patrick Corbin and Jon Lester, reliever Brad Hand, catchers Yan Gomes and Alex Avila, infielders Josh Bell, Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer, and outfielder Kyle Schwarber, each of whom was placed on the injured list to start the season following a COVID-19 outbreak last week.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
Atlanta   Washington
Huascar Ynoa Player Stephen Strasburg
No Decision W/L No Decision
5.0 IP 6.0
5 Strikeouts 8
2 Hits 1
0.00 ERA 0.00
Hitting
Atlanta   Washington
Pablo Sandoval Player Stephen Strasburg
1 Hits 1
2 RBI 0
1 HR 0
4 TB 2
1.000 Avg 1.000
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Hits HR TB Avg LOB K RBI BB SB Errors
Atlanta 3 1 6 .125 5 8 2 3 1 0
Washington 2 0 3 .091 6 8 0 3 2 0