WASHINGTON -- The Braves' bullpen, wasted a masterful performance by rookie Tommy Hanson, as it gave up four eighth-inning runs in a 5-3 loss to the Nationals on Saturday afternoon.
Firing six more shutout innings before giving up a sixth-inning home run to former Lookouts outfield Adam Dunn, Hanson extended his scoreless streak to 26 innings (the best for a Braves rookie since Steve Bedrosian's 27 scoreless frames in 1982) but he did not earn a victory despite leaving the game after seven with a 3-1 lead.
Reliever Mike Gonzalez took over in the eighth inning and immediately got into trouble. He allowed a single by Ronnie Belliard, a pinch-hitter who entered the at-bat with a .159 average. Gonzalez loaded the bases by sandwiching a sacrifice bunt with walks of Josh Bard and Nick Johnson.
Cox summoned Peter Moylan, who couldn't preserve the lead, allowing a game-tying two-run single to Ryan Zimmerman.
With the game tied, 3-3, cleanup hitter Adam Dunn, who launched a solo shot off Hanson in the sixth, singled off Eric O'Flaherty with one out in the eighth to put the Nats ahead for the first time.
The hit parade continued on the next batter, as Josh Willingham singled Zimmerman home to increase the lead to 5-3.
Before the loss, the Braves had won a season-best five consecutive games -- in large part due to their steady bullpen.
Aside from the Dunn home run (his career 300th), Hanson allowed just two soft hits and one walk, while striking out five Nationals batters. He pounded the plate with strikes, locating his fastball at will. He bounced back from the one blemish by retiring the next three batters to close his impressive afternoon.
The Braves scattered nine hits and three runs off Nationals ace John Lannan through eight innings, before closer Mike MacDougal saved the game in the ninth.
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Source:MLB.com