The Atlanta Braves held their breath Monday night as Ronald Acuña Jr. exited the game after being hit by a pitch for the second time. Acuña left in the sixth inning of Atlanta’s matchup against the Washington Nationals after being struck on the left hand by a 91 mph fastball from Nationals starter Jake Irvin. The incident marked the second time Acuña had been hit by Irvin in the game.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Olson had three RBIs, Bryce Elder struck out six in 6 2/3 innings and the Atlanta Braves won their sixth straight game with a 9-4 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday night.

Drake Baldwin added two RBIs, and Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II, Dominic Smith and Eli White each had an RBI for Atlanta.

Ronald Acuña Jr. was hit by a pitch in the fourth and sixth innings before leaving in the bottom of the sixth. The Braves said X-rays were negative and Acuña was day to day.

Olson’s two-run homer over the center-field wall tied it at 2-all in the fourth. Olson added an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the ninth for a five-run lead.

Atlanta broke it open with five runs in the sixth.

Atlanta chased Washington starter Jake Irvin in the sixth after a fielding error and a hit batter. Washington reliever PJ Poulin came in and threw a wild pitch, and then Baldwin drove in two on a double down the left-field line to put Atlanta ahead for good at 4-3.

Albies and Harris hit back-to-back RBI singles in the sixth and Smith followed with an RBI on a fielder’s choice to make it 7-3.

Atlanta has won 10 of its last 12 games.

Elder (3-1), who entered leading the National League with a 0.77 ERA through four starts this season, allowed four runs, three earned.

Irvin (1-3) allowed four runs, three earned, in five innings of work.

Daylen Lile homered for Washington and Jacob Young had a two-run single to open the scoring in the first.

Up next

The four-game series — and the second of 13 matchups between the teams this season — continues on Tuesday with Atlanta RHP Reynaldo Lopez (1-0, 2.18 ERA) going against Washington LHP Foster Griffin (2-0, 3.05). The Nationals are in a stretch of 17 games in 17 days with the next off day April 27.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

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