Sat Apr 12 17:51:20 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Francoeur's seven RBI lead Braves in rout of scuffling Nats

---

Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Jeff Francoeur hit two home runs and added a two-run single, driving in a career-high seven runs as the Atlanta Braves pounded the Washington Nationals, 10-2, in the second of a three-game set.

John Smoltz (2-0) threw six strong innings for the Braves, allowing one run on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Brian McCann went 3-for-4 with a solo homer for Atlanta, which has rebounded from dropping three straight in Colorado to win the first two against the Nationals.

John Lannan (0-2) was ripped for nine hits and six runs in four frames, walking four and fanning two for the Nationals, who have lost nine in a row after winning three straight to start the season. Cristian Guzman collected three hits for the Nats.

After the game was delayed an hour and a half by rain, the Braves jumped on top of Lannan in the first. Kelly Johnson roped a leadoff double to left, and Chipper Jones worked a one-out walk. Mark Teixeira's single to right plated one run, and then Francoeur belted a three-run shot to left, giving the Braves an early 4-0 lead.

Atlanta loaded the bases later in that inning, but Smoltz grounded into a double play, ending the threat. The next time the Braves loaded the bases, with two outs in the fourth, Francoeur came through with a single to left, scoring two more runs to put the Nats in a 6-0 hole.

The Nationals broke through for a run in the fourth, as Willie Harris' triple plated Felipe Lopez. Pinch-hitter Rob Mackowiak flied out to center to strand Harris, though, and the Braves got that run right back in the fifth.

Against new Nats pitcher Jason Bergmann, Matt Diaz roped a leadoff double to center. He moved over to third on Mark Kotsay's flyout, and then Smoltz helped himself with a grounder to third, bringing Diaz home.

Francoeur and McCann put the Braves in double figures with back-to-back homers in the sixth. Francoeur's second long ball of the day, a two-run shot to left, was followed up by McCann's homer to right, and the Braves took a commanding 10-1 lead.

Ryan Zimmerman's sacrifice fly in the seventh gave Washington its second run.

Game Notes

Earlier Saturday the Braves released veteran utility player Scott Spiezio, ending a two-week minor league trial period for the troubled player. Spiezio has battled substance abuse problems, and a December drunken driving arrest in California led to his release by the Cardinals in late February...Entering the series the three Braves starters (Tim Hudson, Smoltz, and Tom Glavine) had 647 combined victories, 613 more than the Nationals three starters (Tim Redding, Matt Chico, and Lannan), who have 34 combined wins.