ATLANTA — Pinch-hitter Matt den Dekker, recalled from the minors earlier in the day, had a tiebreaking, two-run double in a three-run seventh inning that led the Washington Nationals over the Atlanta Braves 3-1 Wednesday night for an opening two-game sweep.
Stephen Strasburg (1-0), starting his final season with the Nationals before becoming eligible for free agency, allowed one run and six hits in six innings.
Jonathan Papelbon gave up one-out singles to Adonis Garcia, who had three hits, and Nick Markakis in the ninth. With Garcia at third and pinch-runner Drew Stubbs on second with two outs, Papelbon struck out A.J. Pierzynski for his second save.
Bud Norris (0-1), making his Atlanta debut after signing as a free agent, gave up three runs and six hits in seven innings.
Washington placed center fielder Ben Revere on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique before the game and recalled den Dekker from Triple-A Syracuse. When the move was announced, manager Dusty Baker said he didn’t know when den Dekker would arrive.
“He might be here in the eighth or ninth to win it,” Baker said.
Baker’s guess was off by an inning.
Atlanta led 1-0 before Ryan Zimmerman singled leading off the seventh with a single and scored from second on an infield hit by Wilson Ramos, who advanced on first baseman Freddie Freeman’s wild throw to the plate. Following an intentional walk to Danny Espinosa, den Dekker batted for Strasburg and hit the two-run double to right-center.
Michael A. Taylor replaced Revere in the starting lineup and threw out Garcia and Pierzynski at second base in the fourth inning, both trying to stretch singles. Pierzynski’s hit drove in Markakis, who had walked.
After Bryce Harper’s leadoff single in the fourth, Zimmerman hit a drive toward the right-center gap. Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte, running toward right field, made a diving catch and landed on his chest. Harper was already standing on second base when Inciarte quickly returned to his feet and threw to first base to complete the double play.
Inciarte made another running catch of a drive by Harper, reaching over his head for the catch, to end the sixth.
With his third strikeout of the game, Strasburg passed Jordan Zimmermann’s Nationals record of 903 strikeouts. The milestone came when he fanned Norris in the third inning, and Strasburg’s four strikeouts boosted his career total to 905.
Revere was scheduled for a MRI in Washington on Thursday. Baker said he didn’t know how long Revere will be on the DL but said “it didn’t appear that he was going to be able to play within a week.”
Righthander Tanner Roark is to start for Washington in its home opener against Miami on Thursday. Roark was 3-4 with a 4.82 ERA in 12 starts last season and 4-7 with a 4.38 ERA in 40 games overall.
Following an off day on Thursday, Braves righthander Matt Wisler will try to extend his short history of success against St. Louis in Friday night’s series opener against the Cardinals. Wisler was 2-0 with a 1.15 ERA in two starts against St. Louis in his 2015 rookie season.
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