Braves rally past Strasburg and Nats for 6-2 win

photo Atlanta Braves pitcher Julio Teheran hits an RBI single against the Washington Nationals during the fourth inning of a baseball game at Nationals Park on Saturday, April 5, 2014, in Washington.

WASHINGTON - Julio Teheran allowed two runs in seven solid innings and had two hits, and Atlanta knocked out Stephen Strasburg in the fifth inning, as the Braves beat the Washington Nationals 6-2 on Saturday night.

Dan Ugly had a two-run single for the Braves and Freddie Freeman reached base five times with two hits and three walks.

Teheran (1-1) limited Washington to three hits in seven innings, one of them a two-run home run by Adam LaRoche. The Braves right-hander was aided by a spectacular throw by B.J. Upton, who caught a liner to medium center by Bryce Harper and threw Jose Libation out at the plate for an inning-ending double play in the fifth.

Strasburg (0-1) allowed eight hits, three walks and three earned runs in 4 1-3 innings.

Teheran walked four and hit a batter, but he compensated with six timely strikeouts and two solid singles to right field, the first of which drove in the tying run with two out in the bottom of the fourth inning and contributed to the early exit for Strasburg (0-1)

It was the second shaky outing of the year for the Nationals right-hander. Strasburg allowed a pair of home runs in a no-decision in Washington's 9-7 opening day victory over the Mets.

Against the Braves, Strasburg had a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning, but third baseman Ryan Zimmerman's two-out, two-run throwing error paved the way for two unearned runs.

In the next inning, Strasburg was sent to the dugout after allowing a walk and four straight singles. The hits were supplied by Chris Johnson, Justin Upton, Uggla, and Ryan Doumit. Andrelton Simmons brought home the final run with a sacrifice fly off reliever Aaron Barrett.

Notes: In the final game of the series on Sunday, Braves lefty Alex Wood (1-0, 1.29 ERA) will oppose Nationals right-hander Taylor Jordan, who gets his first start of the season. . Nationals P Doug Fister, who is out with a lat strain, may get some throwing in on Sunday for the first time since he was placed on the 15-day disabled list on March 29. "Through exercise he feels pretty good," manager Matt Williams said. "The test is going to be throwing and extending in a controlled environment." . Illness is going around both clubhouses. Braves C Evan Gattis, who homered on Friday, was out with flu-like symptoms, but was available to pinch hit. Nationals P Gio Gonzalez is battling illness. His next start is set for Tuesday against the Marlins. .. Wood is the first left-hander the Nationals will face this year.

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