ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves defeated the Washington Nationals 5-2 on May 13, 2025, at Truist Park, improving their record to 21-21 and holding third place in the National League East. The Nationals, now 17-26, remain fourth in the division. Catcher Drake Baldwin led the Braves with a home run and three hits, driving in two runs, while pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach earned the win with seven strong innings.
The game began with an early spark from Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams, who launched a leadoff home run in the first inning off Schwellenbach, giving Washington a 1-0 lead. The Nationals extended their advantage to 2-0 in the fourth when Amed Rosario singled to score James Wood, who had walked earlier. However, the Braves responded in the bottom of the fourth, tying the game at 2-2 when Baldwin hit a two-run homer off Nationals starter Michael Soroka, scoring Marcell Ozuna.
Atlanta took the lead in the fifth inning when Austin Riley’s single drove in Eli White, who had walked and advanced on a single by Alex Verdugo. The Braves added another run in the sixth when White singled to score Baldwin, making it 4-2. In the eighth, Baldwin doubled and scored on a single by Ozzie Albies, securing the final 5-2 margin.
Schwellenbach (2-3, 3.31 ERA) was sharp, allowing two runs on four hits over seven innings, striking out three and walking two. Dylan Lee pitched a scoreless eighth, and Pierce Johnson earned his first save of the season, closing out the ninth despite allowing a single to Josh Bell. For the Nationals, Brad Lord (1-5, 5.17 ERA) took the loss after giving up two runs on five hits in two innings of relief. Soroka lasted four innings, allowing two runs on four hits.
Baldwin’s performance was the standout, as he went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, and two RBIs. Riley and Albies each contributed two hits and an RBI, while White scored twice and drove in a run. For the Nationals, Rosario led the offense, going 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Abrams’ homer accounted for their other run. The team struggled with runners in scoring position, going 1-for-3, and left five runners on base.
The Braves capitalized on their opportunities, going 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position, though they stranded seven runners. Defensively, the Nationals committed one error, a throwing miscue by Abrams, while the Braves played error-free baseball. Atlanta also executed a caught-stealing double play in the fifth, with catcher Keibert Ruiz and shortstop Abrams combining to erase Michael Harris II.
The game, attended by 32,725 fans, was played under partly cloudy skies with a temperature of 72 degrees. It lasted 2 hours and 25 minutes, with the first pitch at 7:15 p.m. EDT. The Nationals challenged a tag play in the fourth, successfully overturning a call to catch Harris stealing second.
This loss marks the Nationals’ ninth defeat in their last 12 games, highlighting their struggles in the NL East. The Braves, meanwhile, continue to hover around .500, relying on timely hitting and solid pitching to stay competitive. Both teams will face off again in the series, with Washington aiming to even the score.
