Braves ride 4 homers to win over Nationals

The Atlanta Braves got home runs from Ozzie Albies and Josh Donaldson for the second straight night and received another strong effort from starting pitcher Julio Teheran in a 5-4 win over the visiting Washington Nationals on Saturday. Atlanta used solo homers from Albies, Donaldson and Matt Joyce and a two-run homer from Brian McCann in winning its season-best ninth straight game, the third straight against the Nationals. The Braves set a modern-era franchise record with its 13th consecutive home win.

Atlanta improved its lead in the NL East to 10 games over the Nationals and lowered its magic number to 11. Teheran (10-8) won his third straight decision and fifth in his last six. He allowed one run on three hits, a solo homer to Asdrubal Cabrera, with one walk and eight strikeouts. The homer came in the fifth and ended a streak of 22 scoreless innings by Atlanta's starting pitchers. Mark Melancon pitched a scoreless ninth inning, striking out a pair, to pick up his 10th save.

The losing pitcher was Austin Voth (1-1), who allowed two runs on three hits, two walks, and six strikeouts. He gave up the home runs to Albies and Donaldson and has surrendered four of his five homers to the Braves. Atlanta opened the scoring on Albies' 21st homer of the season in the first inning. Donaldson followed in the fourth by smacking a 443-foot solo shot, his 36th.

The Nationals got a run back in the fifth when Cabrera's 16th homer barely stayed inside the foul pole in right field. The Braves scored three times in the sixth against reliever Hunter Strickland. McCann connected for his 11th homer -- his first since July 26 -- and Matt Joyce made it back to back shots with his sixth.

The Nationals scored a run in the seventh when Ryan Zimmerman hit into a bases-loaded double play that allowed Anthony Rendon to cross. Washington cut the lead to 5-4 in the eighth when Juan Soto doubled home a pair of runs. His hit off Shane Greene came after Atlanta catcher Brian McCann failed to hold on to a foul tip that would have been a strikeout.

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