In a game watched by almost no one in person, Trea Turner hit his first Major League home run but the Washington Nationals lost to the Atlanta Braves 2-1 in nearly-empty Turner Field in Atlanta.
Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski homered twice against Nats starter Tanner Roark twice to provide the difference. Pierzzynski went 3 for 3 on the evening.
Braves starter Matt Wisler gave up one earned run on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
In off-field news, the team announced that Ryan Zimmerman would not play again this season due to the strained oblique muscle that has kept him out of the lineup the past several weeks.
Roark (L, 4-7, 4.63) allowed just the two earned runs on five hits and one walk over 6 2/3 innings and 104 pitches — his longest appearance of the season.
Turner, who played second base and hit second in the order, went 2 for 3 with a walk. In very limited opportunities Turner is hitting .292/.393/.458.
The Nats managed just five more hits, including Reed Johnson’s pinch-hit single in Roark’s spot late in the game.
About Dave Nichols