Michael Harris II, Braves crush Nationals' pitching

Michael Harris II homered twice, Orlando Arcia and Sean Murphy also went deep and the visiting Atlanta Braves routed the Washington Nationals 12-0 on Tuesday night.

Harris, Matt Olson and Ramon Laureano had three hits each for the Braves, who began the night one game behind the New York Mets in the National League wild-card race.

Atlanta starter Reynaldo Lopez left the game after one inning due to right shoulder soreness. Jesse Chavez (2-2) entered in the second and pitched three scoreless innings on one hit for the win. John Brebbia added three scoreless frames as four Braves pitchers combined for a three-hitter.

Jose Tena had two doubles for the Nationals.

Washington starter MacKenzie Gore (8-12) gave up seven runs, but only two earned, on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Atlanta, which was shut out on two hits by the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night, had 15 on Tuesday.

The Braves erupted for four runs in the third. Luke Williams reached on an error, stole second and went to third on a groundout. Jorge Soler hit a ground-rule double to score Williams and later went to third on a wild pitch. After Marcell Ozuna walked, Olson doubled, scoring Soler, and Laureano doubled home Ozuna and Olson to make it 4-0.

In the fourth, Harris hit a two-out homer to right, increasing the lead to 5-0. Soler walked and Ozuna reached on catcher's interference by Keibert Ruiz. Soler scored on a single by Olson, and Ozuna came home on a single by Laureano.

Arcia made it 8-0 when he homered with one out in the fifth.

Laureano reached on a fielder's choice in the sixth and Murphy homered to left to make it 10-0.

In the eighth, Adam Duvall walked and Olson and Laureano singled to load the bases, and Duvall scored on a single by Murphy as Atlanta finished 7-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

Harris homered again in the ninth for the 12-0 final.

--Field Level Media