Griffin, Nationals beat Braves 2-1 to give Atlanta its first home series loss of the season

ATLANTA (AP) — Foster Griffin allowed only three hits in six scoreless innings, Nasim Nuñez singled in a run in the fifth and the Washington Nationals survived Atlanta's ninth-inning comeback attempt for a 2-1 win Sunday to give the Braves their first home series loss of the season.

The Braves had won eight straight home series to open the season before losing two of three to Washington. First-place Atlanta fell to 14-2-1 overall in series this season.

Griffin (6-2) struck out six and walked one.

Gus Varland allowed singles to Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley to open the ninth. Richard Lovelady gave up Eli White's grounder that Nuñez mishandled at second base for an error, allowing Albies to score from third base.

Lovelady walked Ha-Seong Kim to load the bases. Orlando Ribalta came in and struck out Chadwick Tromp and got Ronald Acuña Jr. on a weak grounder for his second save.

There was a 22-minute weather delay before the game and steady rain throughout the sixth inning led to another delay of 1:28 in the top of the seventh.

Atlanta left-hander Martín Pérez (2-3) allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings. Right-hander Reynaldo López gave up a run-scoring single to pinch-hitter Luis García Jr. in the eighth.

Before the game, Washington placed right-hander Jake Irvin on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain. Left-hander PJ Poulin was recalled from Triple-A Rochester. Irvin threw five hitless innings and combined with two relievers on a one-hitter in the Nationals' 2-0 win on Saturday.

Nationals: Open a three-game series at Cleveland on Monday night with RHP Zack Littell (3-4, 5.83 ERA) scheduled to face RHP Tanner Bibee (0-6, 3.75).

Braves: Following an off day Monday, Atlanta opens a three-game series at Boston on Tuesday night with RHP Spencer Strider (2-0, 3.00) scheduled to start.

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

Atlanta Braves grounds crew take water off the tarp covering the field in the sixth inning of a baseball game in rain delay between the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams fields a ball hit by Atlanta Braves' Matt Olson (28) in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

An MLB umpire leaves the game due to rain in the sixth inning of a baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Atlanta Braves pitcher Didier Fuentes works in the rain in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Washington Nationals pitcher Foster Griffin (22) works in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Sunday, May 24, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

PHOENIX (AP) — Hair flapping out of his headband, Corbin Carroll races past second base as if a double isn't an option.

It's a last resort.

Doubles are fine if that's what you want. Carroll needs one bag more.

“What's a standup double to a majority of the people in the big leagues, it's a standup triple to him,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said after Carroll legged out two triples in the Diamondbacks' 9-1 win over Colorado on Sunday. “I enjoy every single one of them.”

There's been plenty to like.

Since his first full season in the big leagues, Carroll has been racking up triples like third base is owed to him.

The two triples — both run-scoring — against the Rockies gives Carroll eight on the season, four more than Tampa Bay's Chandler Simpson. Carroll has 51 in his career, leaving him one shy of the team record set by Stephen Drew, who needed three more seasons and nearly 1,000 more plate appearances to do it.

Carroll also is the second-fastest player (537 games) in big-league history to reach 50 triples and 80 homers — he has 89 — behind Yankees Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig, who did it in 461.

“I’ve seen it a lot,” said Ryne Nelson, Arizona’s starter on Sunday. “I know he’s creeping up on the record and might get it tomorrow.”

Carroll has been taking 'em since he first broke into the big leagues.

Carroll led the National League with 14 triples his rookie season. He tied Boston's Jarren Duran to lead the big leagues with 14 in 2024 and held the top spot alone with 17 last season.

Should he keep up this pace, Carroll would be the first player in MLB history to lead or tie for the lead in triples in three straight seasons. It would also be the first time leading a league in four straight seasons since Lance Johnson of the Chicago White Sox from 1991-94.

“I just want to take advantage of what’s given to me and when there’s an opportunity, definitely want to take the extra base,” the always low-key Carroll said.

Carroll's secret: a combination of speed and aggression.

Carroll is one of the fastest players in baseball, hitting a top speed of nearly 30 feet per second. He regularly goes home to first in under four seconds and has the fastest home-to-third time in MLB history at 10.71 seconds against San Francisco last Tuesday. His two triples on Sunday were both just over 11 seconds.

There's also a mindset that anything that gets past an outfielder is a triple until it isn't

Charging out of the batter's box, Carroll thinks triple on any ball to the wall, often pushing forward even if the outfielder gets to the ball before he passes second base.

“As soon is that ball is hit,” I'm looking at Corbin," Lovullo said. “He's cutting corners and by the time he's between first and second, he's in full stride.”

On his way to a triple, more times than not.

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

Arizona Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll (7) runs past Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano (11), of Japan, as Carroll beats out an infield single during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 22, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)