WASHINGTON - Jeff Francoeur had two home runs and a career-high seven RBIs, and the Atlanta Braves handed the Washington Nationals their ninth straight loss, 10-to-2 on Saturday.
Francoeur hit a three-run home run in the first inning, a two-run single in the fourth and a two-run shot in the sixth. He came in with four RBIs in 10 games this season.
The Nationals' skid is their longest since moving to Washington in 2005 from Montreal. The last time the franchise lost nine in a row was the final nine games of the 2000 season.
John Smoltz pitched six innings and allowed one run and five hits. He walked two and struck out five leaving him just 14 strikeouts shy of 3,000.
His record this year is 2-and-0. He earned his 209th career win and 21st against the Montreal-Washington franchise most against any opponent.
After a 91-minute rain delay in the first day game at Nationals Park, Francoeur hit a three-run homer to left in the first off John Lannan to make it 4-to-0.
Mark Teixeira drove in the Braves' first run with an RBI single.
Francoeur hit a two-run single with the bases loaded in the fourth inning off Lannan and his two-run shot to nearly the same spot in left off Jason Bergmann in the sixth put the Braves ahead 9-1.
Brian McCann, who had three hits, followed Francoeur and hit a home run on the next pitch, the first back-to-back home runs of the season for Atlanta.
Lannan pitched four innings, allowing the six runs and nine hits, walking two and striking out one. He is 0 and 2 on the season.
Sunday
May 4th, 2025
6:43AM
