Soto's go-ahead homer sends Nationals past Braves, 4-2

ATLANTA (AP) — Juan Soto crushed a go-ahead homer in the seventh inning and the Washington Nationals relied on their bullpen after Sean Nolin’s first-inning ejection to take a 4-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night.

Soto’s 462-foot drive off Richard Rodriguez (0-1) landed about halfway up the seats in right-center and snapped a 2-all tie. Luis García’s run-scoring double off Drew Smyly in the eighth drove in Yadiel Hernández for a two-run lead.

The Braves began the night 2 1/2 games ahead of second-place Philadelphia in the NL East.

Nolin was ejected after only eight pitches. He gave up a one-out single to Jorge Soler, who had three hits, before throwing a pitch behind Freddie Freeman.

Nolin hit Freeman in the hip with the next delivery, possible retaliation for Braves closer Will Smith plunking Soto with a pitch in the ninth inning of Atlanta’s 8-5 win Tuesday night.

The umpires huddled before ejecting Nolin. With Washington manager Dave Martinez wearing a soft cast following a procedure on his left ankle last Thursday, no one came out of the dugout to dispute the ejection.

After right-hander Patrick Murphy got two outs to end the inning, Freeman chatted with Soto as they walked off the field, each with an arm behind the other’s back.

Washington led 2-0 before Atlanta got homers from Adam Duvall in the fourth and Eddie Rosario in the sixth. Rosario used a golf swing to lift a low curveball from Austin Voth into the right-field seats.

Murphy, claimed off waivers from Toronto on Aug. 14, threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings. Voth (4-1) allowed one run in 1 2/3 innings.

Josh Bell’s 25th homer off Touki Toussaint to lead off the fourth was the first hit allowed by the right-hander. Toussaint struggled with his control, though. He hit a batter with a pitch and...

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