Deadspin | AJ Smith-Shawver leads Braves past slumping Nationals

May 15, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver (32) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

AJ Smith-Shawver threw six quality innings and Drake Baldwin tallied three hits and an RBI, helping lead the Atlanta Braves to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Washington Nationals on Thursday afternoon.

Smith-Shawver (3-2) allowed one unearned run on two hits while striking out six and walking two for Atlanta, which took three of four against its National League East foe. The Braves’ bullpen threw three innings in relief, including closer Raisel Iglesias’ scoreless ninth as he earned his seventh save of the season.

Trevor Williams (2-5) took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits across 4 1/3 innings. Washington’s starter also struck out four and walked none. CJ Abrams had two hits — including a solo homer in the eighth — for the Nationals, who dropped their eighth game in nine tries.

Washington threatened in the top of the second, as Nathaniel Lowe’s leadoff walk was followed by Alex Call’s one-out double and Jose Tena’s walk to load the bases. Smith-Shawver then got Jacob Young to ground into an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play.

In the bottom of the third, Eli White reached on Tena’s one-out throwing error before stealing second and scoring on Nick Allen’s RBI single.

After Williams plunked Ozzie Albies to begin the bottom of the fifth, Allen, Alex Verdugo and Baldwin hit three straight singles — the last two to give the Braves a 3-0 lead. Williams was then relieved by Brad Lord, who surrendered Marcell Ozuna’s run-scoring sacrifice fly to extend Atlanta’s edge to four.

Abrams singled and stole second in the top of the sixth and then scored Washington’s first run on third baseman Austin Riley’s fielding error.

Pierce Johnson relieved Smith-Shawver in the seventh, throwing a scoreless frame.

Dylan Lee threw the eighth for Atlanta, allowing Abrams’ sixth homer of the season to lead off the inning. Amed Rosario then singled, before James Wood grounded into a double play. After Keibert Ruiz doubled for Washington’s third hit of the inning, Lee retired Lowe to escape the jam.

The Braves added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth, as Riley’s leadoff double was followed by White’s two-out RBI single off Nationals’ reliever Jorge Lopez.

–Field Level Media