Nationals defeat Braves 9-5 as rookies Yohandy Morales and Jared Simpson debut

The Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 9-5 on Monday night at Nationals Park. Nationals rookies Yohandy Morales and Jared Simpson both made their Major League Baseball debuts during the contest, with Morales hitting a home run for his first career hit. Atlanta starting pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver surrendered five earned runs over four innings, while Braves hitters struggled to capitalize on base runners throughout the game. Despite three hits from Ha-Seong Kim and an early solo home run from Ozzie Albies, the Braves were unable to overcome the early lead established by the Washington offense. The win for the Nationals follows a series of recent struggles for the Atlanta pitching staff and offense as the team attempts to find consistency in September.

• 1:50 AMYahoo Sports — A night to forget for both offense and pitching as Braves fall to the Nationals, 9-5