After nearly two weeks of Spring Training play, the Atlanta Braves have claimed their second victory of the exhibition season with a 6-5 win over the Washington Nationals. Stephen Strasburg made the start for Washington and pitched well, but the Braves put strong at-bats together all evening with a national audience watching on MLBTV.
Dan Uggla got the club on the board in the first with an opposite field two-run homer off Strasburg, driving in Brian McCann who had drawn a walk in the previous at-bat. Uggla came up once again with the bases loaded in the third and just missed a grand slam, instead settling for a deep sacrifice fly at the warning track.
Jason Heyward looked very good at the plate and hit a rocket home run off Strasburg on a high fastball. The 22-year-old outfielder also belted a double down the right field line to finish his game. There are few players in Major League Baseball that will be relied on more than Heyward in 2012 and Atlanta needs him producing like he did on Wednesday if they hope to have any chance this year.
Julio Teheran made the start and impressed before losing command in the fourth. Teheran wracked up two strikeouts and allowed just two hits in his first three innings before allowing a walk and two deep homers. Randall Delgado also impressed in four innings of work, striking out five while allowing just two runs on four hits. The 21-year-old also walked three Nationals.
With the Braves trailing 5-4 in the eighth, outfielder Jordan Parraz hit a solo-homer to left-center field to tie the game up. Jose Constanza singled, David Ross moved him over with a bunt and Luis Durango drove a single to left to score Constanza. Eric O'Flaherty worked a perfect ninth inning to give the Braves the 6-5 win.