Article:The Tomahawk Times - Nationals get to Braves bullpen, win 6-3

WASHINGTON D.C. -- The Washington Nationals continue to be a thorn in the side of the Atlanta Braves, putting four runs on the board in the seventh inning to take a 6-3 victory in the abbreviated series at Nationals Park.

Tom Glavine made his return to the Braves rotation on a day when his club needed some good news. In six innings of work, Glavine surrendered two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out two. The runs came on back-to-back homers by Ryan Zimmerman and Nick Johnson in the third.

"Certainly with Smoltzy going down and Huddy having a little bit of an off game the other day... when you're the guy that goes out there, the bigges thing you have on your mind is trying to eat some inning and give the guys in the bullpen a break," said Glavine of returning to lend some strength a depleted rotation. "I felt like I did that and at the same time I gave us a chance to win so that's what you're trying to do."

The Nationals did the real damage against Blaine Boyer (0-3) in the seventh, with Zimmernan bringing home the first of four runs in the frame with a two-run double. Lastings Milledge put the exclaimation point on the inning with a double that chased home two more against Jorge Campillo to give the Nationals a 6-2 lead.

Zimmerman was the hitting star of the game, belting the homer and then stroking the two-run double among his three hits in four at-bats.

Atlanta went just 2-for-14 with runners on against Tim Redding and four Washington relievers. Saul Rivera (2-1) pitched a scoreless seventh to pick up the win, as the Nationals move to 4-3 against Atlanta this season.

Washington reliever Chad Cordero was forced to leave the game with just one out in the ninth after apparently injuring his pitching shoulder while working to Kelly Johnson.

Despite a single by Johnson that drove home Matt Diaz, John Rauch closed the door to register his fourth save by working the final two outs and preserving the 6-3 win.

On Deck: The short series will come to a close tomorrow when Jair Jurrjens takes the mound in hopes of evening things up with the Washington Nationals in the two game set. The Nationals will counter with Shawn Hill. Game time is set for 4:35 PM EST.