Kyle Wright wins first MLB game as Braves beat Nationals

Kyle Wright had pitched in 16 major league games. He had made nine starts. He had not done very well overall, giving up 39 runs in 44.2 innings. That's why he was 0-7 in his MLB career.

But on Sunday, Wright outpitched one of baseball's best pitchers. Wright went six innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits, with two walks and four strikeouts.

Washington's Max Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young award winner, gave up six runs in 5.1 innings, with two walks and 10 strikeouts.

Wright pitched better than Scherzer. He won. Finally.

The lead was swapped back-and-forth between the two teams and then the Braves grabbed control when Adam Duvall and Ozzie Albies both hit two-run home runs in the sixth inning.

From there, it was the bullpen that took over for Atlanta. The Braves relievers pitched three scoreless innings to end the game with an 8-4 victory.

Travis d'Arnaud got the Braves off to a good start with a RBI-double in the first inning. Asdrubal Cabrera hit a solo home run off Wright in the second inning to tie the game 1-1.

Nick Markakis doubled home d'Arnaud in the fourth inning to give the Braves a 2-1 lead. Washington then bounced back in the bottom of the fourth on a fielder's choice.

The Nationals took a lead in the fifth inning when the Trea Turner grounded into a force out with the bases loaded. Ozzie Albies made a throwing error when trying to get the double play and two runs scored making it 4-2.

But then Duvall hit his 14th home run of the season in the sixth inning to tie the game at 4-4. A few batters later, Albies hit his third home run of the year to give the Braves a two-run lead at 6-4.

Marcell Ozuna gave the Braves an insurance run in the eighth inning on a single scoring Albies. Then a ground out scored Freddie Freeman to make it 8-4.

The Braves take three of four games from the Nationals. They now start a three-game set in Baltimore Monday against the Orioles.