Luis Garcia Jr.'s 4-hit effort powers Nationals past Braves

Field Level Media|published: Tue 21st April, 22:12 2026

MLB: Atlanta Braves at Washington Nationals

Apr 21, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals left fielder James Wood (29) hits a solo home run against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Luis Garcia Jr. had four hits and drove in three runs, Curtis Mead socked a three-run homer and the host Washington Nationals ended the Atlanta Braves' six-game winning streak with an 11-4 win on Tuesday.

James Wood hit his eighth homer of the season, walked four times and scored three runs for Washington, which leveled the four-game series at one victory apiece.

Nationals starter Foster Griffin (3-0) allowed three runs on five hits over six solid innings. He walked one and struck out three.

Drake Baldwin and Eli White homered for the Braves, and Mauricio Dubon had two hits.

Atlanta starter Reynaldo Lopez (1-1) allowed four runs in one-plus inning and gave up five hits and three walks while fanning one. Braves pitchers issued 12 walks.

Ronald Acuna Jr. was in the Atlanta lineup and went 1-for-5 one day after being hit by pitch twice, including once on the left hand.

The first six Nationals reached base in a three-run first. Wood walked and Garcia singled him to third, then stole second. Jacob Young lined a single to center, scoring Wood. CJ Abrams and Daylen Lile walked, with Lile getting an RBI. Nasim Nunez singled to score Young with the third run.

Back-to-back two-out doubles by Dubon and Michael Harris II got the Braves within 3-1 in the second.

Wood homered leading off the bottom half, and Lopez was done for the night after Garcia singled.

Baldwin's solo homer in the third pulled the Braves within 4-2.

White homered in the fifth to make it 4-3, but the Nationals answered in the bottom half when Brady House singled, stole second and scored on a two-out single by Garcia to make it 5-3.

In the seventh, the Nationals loaded the bases with two walks and a single. Garcia followed with a two-run double, and another runner came home on a groundout by Young.

Austin Riley's RBI groundout pulled the Braves within 8-4 in the eighth, but a pair of walks and Mead's three-run homer put things out of reach in the bottom half.

The Braves placed closer Raisel Iglesias on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, and they promoted Dylan Dodd from Triple-A Gwinnett to fill the roster spot.

--Field Level Media

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