Recap: Winning streak snapped as Braves fall to Nationals in series finale

The Atlanta Braves came into Sunday's matchup on a seven-game winning streak. They had the opportunity to match their season high of eight straight wins, which lasted from April 10th to April 18th. However, the Braves' offense lagged for much of the game as they fell to the Washington Nationals, 6-2, in Sunday's series finale.

Ronald Acuña Jr started things off in the bottom of the first inning, hitting a single off of a soft ground ball. With Acuña on first base, Matt Olson crushed a two-run homer that landed on top of the Chop House in Truist Park, making it 2-0 Braves. Olson has hit eight home runs in the first inning this season, the most by any player in the league. It was also Olson's 18th home run of the season, which is tied for third most in the league.

Offensively, the game became a slow affair of the first inning. In the bottom of the second inning, Orlando Arica hit a ground ball single to centerfield. Following Arcia's at-bat, Michael Harris II would hit his own single, putting runners at the corners with Arcia taking third base. However, the Braves were unable to score further with Acuña striking out to end the inning.

Despite their inability to score, the Braves had some really good defensive plays. In the top of the third inning, Nationals batter Alex Call hit a ball directly into the glove of Austin Riley, who threw it in time to Olson at first base for a double play.

On the mound, Bryce Elder was the starting pitcher for the Braves in today's matchup. He comes into the game leading the NL with a 2.26 ERA. Elder did not allow a run through four innings until Washington hitter Keibert Ruiz hit a single off of Elder, allowing runners to advance and for Washington's Jeimer Candelario to score, making it a 2-1 ballgame. Washington wasn't able to score further as they were grounded out by to end the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Marcell Ozuna hit a single, along with Ozzie Albies to put runners at the corners. Arcia would get walked, loading the bases for the Braves. However, the Braves were unable to capitalize on the situation as Acuña grounded the ball towards left field, with Arcia being caught out at second base to end the inning.

In the top of the sixth innig, Nationals hitter Luis Garcia advanced to second base on a double, and made it further to third thanks to a wild pitch between Elder and cather Sean Murphy. He would end up scoring a run to tie the game at 2-2, following a single from Washinton's Joey Meneses. The Braves lost the lead after Jeimer Candelario hit a two-run homer, putting the Nationals in front 4-2.

Elder's day came to an end after allowing another single from Washington's Keibert Ruiz. Elder's final statline for the day was 5.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, and 1 K, posting a 2.57 ERA.

Kirby Yates took over for Elder on the mound in the top of the sixth. However, Washington's offense continued to cook by hitting another two-run home run, this time from Dominic Smith, to make it a 6-2 deficit for the Braves.

The Braves offense tried to pick up momentum in the bottom of the sixth. With Albies grounded out, Arcia hit a singled on a line drive, with the ball going through the glove of Washington left fielder Corey Dickerson. With Arcia at first base and with two outs on the board, Michael Harris II was robbed of a potential two-run homer from Washington center fielder Alex Call, ending the inning.

With the momentum at a standstill, Braves pitcher Michael Tonkin took the mound in the top of the eighth inning. In his second game back since being activated from the 15-day injured list on June 8th, Tonkin threw a stikeout and a pair of pop-out flies to bring up the Braves offense. With the Braves' offense up in the bottom of the eigth, Ozuna hit a single on a sharp ground ball to reach first base. However, the Braves were unable to do anything more, with the inning coming to an end with Albies flying out to center field.

The Braves were unable to create any more momentum as they fell to Washington, 6-2, on Sunday afternoon. With the loss, the Braves snap their seven-game winning streak, which started on June 3rd. Meanwhile, the Nationals snap their own streak of six-straight losses. Today's loss also marks the first loss of the season for starting pitcher Bryce Elder, who went 4-0 as a starter up until this point.

With the series concluded, the Braves will travel to play to Detriot Tigers tommorow to start a three-game series. Charlie Morton is expected to start for the Braves on the mound in tommorow's matchup in Detriot.