The Atlanta Braves had an impressive 12-0 victory over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night, with Michael Harris II hitting two of the four home runs for the Braves. The team recorded a total of 15 hits during the game. However, the victory was overshadowed by the loss of starting pitcher Reynaldo López, who left the game after the first inning due to right shoulder tightness.

Despite López’s early exit, the Braves’ pitching staff, including three relievers, held the struggling Nationals to just three hits throughout the game. Harris’ two home runs marked the fourth multi-homer game of his career. Additionally, Sean Murphy and Orlando Arcia contributed with a two-run shot and a solo homer, respectively.

The Braves capitalized on their strong offensive performance with three doubles in the third inning and three more runs in the following frame, ultimately chasing Nationals’ starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore from the game. The victory brought the Braves within half a game of the final NL wild card spot, currently held by the New York Mets.

Ramón Laureano and Murphy led the offense with two hits each and three RBIs. Matt Olson also had a solid performance with two singles and a double. The Nationals’ Andrés Chaparro stole his first major league base during the game, becoming the 23rd player on the team to do so this season.

On the injury front, Nationals’ pitcher Trevor Williams made progress in his recovery from a right flexor muscle strain, pitching three shutout innings in a rehab assignment for Double-A Harrisburg.

In the next game of the series, Braves’ left-handed pitcher Max Fried will face Nationals’ right-handed pitcher Jake Irvin.