Inciarte helps Braves overtake Nationals
ATLANTA -- Trea Turner hit two home runs for the Washington Nationals, but the Atlanta Braves' leadoff hitter had a highly productive day as well.
Ender Inciarte was 3-for-4 with a double and a walk, scoring three times, as the Braves got to Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez for a 7-3 victory on Saturday.
It was just the third win of the season for the Braves over the National League East-leading Nationals in 18 games.
Josh Collmenter, picked up from the Chicago Cubs organization after he was released by Arizona earlier in the season, went five innings to get a win in his Atlanta debut.
The homers by Turner were the fifth and sixth of the season against the Braves in 12 games. The rookie, who also had a single, walk and stolen base, is batting .482 (27-for-56) with 16 RBIs and 19 runs against Atlanta.
Turner hit the third pitch from Collmenter (2-0) for a homer and connected again leading off the fifth, but that was the only damage against the veteran right-hander who was Arizona's Opening Day starter in 2015.
Collmenter, the 16th pitcher given a start by the Braves this season, struck out eight while allowing four hits over five innings. All three of his walks came in the second inning.
Gonzalez (11-10) lasted only 4 1/3 innings and was charged with six runs on nine hits. The veteran left-hander, who has a 7.11 ERA in four starts against the Braves this year, struck out seven, walked none and hit two batters.
The Braves scored a run in the bottom of the first, two more in the third when they had four straight hits and three times in the fifth while chasing Gonzalez, who fell to 4-9 for his career against the Braves.
Nick Markakis and Anthony Recker each had two hits and two RBIs for the Braves. Matt Kemp and Adonis Garcia also had two hits, and Freddie Freeman extended his career-best hitting streak to 21 games with an RBI single.
Washington's Daniel Murphy extended in his hitting streak to 14 games with his league-leading 47th double.
NOTES: RHP Joe Ross, who last pitched for the Nationals on July 2, will be activated from the 60-day disabled list and start against the Braves on Sunday. He was 7-4 with a 3.49 ERA in 16 starts before being sidelined by shoulder inflammation. The Nationals expect Ross to be limited to about three innings. ... RHP Matt Wisler (6-12, 5.00 ERA) will start the series finale for the Braves. ... Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg, diagnosed with a strained flexor mass in his elbow, played light catch for about five minutes before the game as a first step in his attempt to return for the playoffs. He is 15-4 with a 3.60 ERA. ... The Braves recalled RHP Tyrell Jenkins from Gwinnett and selected the contracts of 3B Rio Ruiz and OF/INF Emilio Bonafacio from the Triple-A team. ... C A.J. Pierzynski (hamstring) and RHP Rob Whalen (shoulder) were moved to the 60-day disabled list by the Braves.