Zimmerman leads Nationals' hit parade in 11-9 win
ATLANTA -- Washington's Ryan Zimmerman showed no rust in his return from the disabled list with three hits, including a homer on the first pitch he saw, in the Nationals' 11-9 win over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday night at Turner Field.
Zimmerman, who was activated earlier in the day after missing 16 games with a left wrist contusion, joined teammates Anthony Rendon, who had four hits, and Daniel Murphy, who had three hits, to pace Washington's 17-hit attack.
Zimmerman hit his 13th homer of the season, scored twice and drove in two runs in his return.
Much of the damage came in the fourth inning when Washington sent 12 men to the plate and scored eight times.
The beneficiary of the outburst was starting pitcher Max Scherzer (13-7). The right-hander bounced back from his worst start of the season, when he allowed four runs in four innings against the Rockies, to pitch 6 1/3 effective innings. Scherzer also contributed two hits, including an RBI single in the eight-run inning.
Scherzer allowed four runs, six hits and three walks, striking out three, and evened his career record against Atlanta at 2-2.
The Braves pecked away by scoring six runs in the final three innings and forced Washington manager Dusty Baker to bring in closer Mark Melancon to get the last out of the game.
Melancon allowed a two-run single to Chase d'Arnaud that cut the lead to two runs. Pinch-hitter Anthony Recker, who represented the tying run, popped out to end the game.
Melancon picked up his 36th save of the season.
The losing pitcher was Tyrell Jenkins (2-4), who has been beaten by Washington in back-to-back starts.
Ender Inciarte, Tyler Flowers, d'Arnaud and Jace Peterson each had two hits for the Braves and Freddie Freeman extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a ninth-inning single.
The Nationals have won three straight and have won 11 of 12 against Atlanta this season. The Braves have lost six straight.
The Nationals scored a run in the second inning when Zimmerman, activated from the disabled list earlier in the day, hit the first pitch he saw from Jenkins into the seats in left field. It was Zimmerman's 13th homer of the season and 21st of his career against the Braves.
Atlanta came back in the bottom half of the inning with three runs off Scherzer. Tyler Flowers led off with a double and scored on d'Arnaud's fielder's choice. Ender Inciarte followed with a ground-rule double and Adonis Garcia drove both runners home with a double that bounced off the fence.
Washington sent 12 men to the plate and scored eight runs in the fourth inning -- one short of the franchise record -- to regain the lead. The uprising included a solo homer from Murphy, his 23rd, a three-run shot from Trea Turner, his fourth, and an RBI single from Scherzer.
The rally knocked Jenkins out of the game. The rookie was charged with nine runs on eight hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings. In two starts against the Nationals, Jenkins has allowed 16 runs in eight innings.
NOTES: The Nationals activated 1B Ryan Zimmerman and C Jose Lobaton and optioned RHP A.J. Cole and C Pedro Severino to Triple-A Syracuse. The league cleared Zimmerman of any accusations made by a documentary filmmaker that claimed he had used performance enhancing drugs. ... Washington manager Dusty Baker gave SS Danny Espinosa the night off. ... Atlanta rookie Dansby Swanson was on the bench after getting three straight starts and replaced by Chase d'Arnaud. ... Starting pitchers for Sunday, the final game of the four-game set, will be Washington LHP Gio Gonzalez (8-9, 4.28) and Atlanta RHP Joel De La Cruz (0-6, 3.72).