Freeman's slam helps Braves rout Nationals

Freddie Freeman hit his second grand slam in three days to break open a close game and send the Atlanta Braves to a 10-3 win over the visiting Washington Nationals on Sunday.

Freddie Freeman hit his second grand slam in three days to break open a close game and send the Atlanta Braves to a 10-3 win over the visiting Washington Nationals on Sunday. The win gave the Braves (24-16) a split of the four-game series. The two National League East rivals meet again in a four-game series next weekend in Washington. They have split six games thus far this season.

Freeman had failed to hit a grand slam in his first 104 career opportunities with the bases loaded until he ended the streak on Friday in the second game of a doubleheader with the Nationals (14-25). He did it again in the sixth inning, taking one 421 feet to the opposite field against reliever Kyle Finnegan to expand a 3-1 lead and put the rout in motion. It was Freeman's seventh home run and extended his streak of reaching base to 22 straight games. He has hit safely in 19 of his last 20 games.

Marcell Ozuna added a solo homer, his 13th, and a bases-loaded double, giving him four RBI for the game and a team-leading 36. He has hit safely in 18 of his last 19 games. But Atlanta's franchise-best streak of five straight games with three or more homers came to an end. It fell one short of the major league record of six set by the 1987 Baltimore Orioles.

Atlanta got a much-needed quality start from right-hander Josh Tomlin (2-2), who benefited from an extra day of rest and worked a season-best six innings. Tomlin allowed one run in the first inning on an Eric Thames' RBI single, one of just three allowed, and two struck out two. It was Tomlin's first win as a starter and broke his two-game losing streak. The losing pitcher was Patrick Corbin (2-4). The left-hander pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed five runs on nine hits, four walks and six strikeouts. Corbin was 6-2 with a 1.95 ERA in 10 previous starts against the Braves.

The Nationals, sparked by Trea Turner's third triple, scored two runs in the ninth against Bryse Wilson. --Field Level Media

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