Juan Soto reached base four times for the last-place Nationals, who were coming off a two-game sweep of Tampa Bay. A year after winning the World Series, Washington is clinging to faint hopes of sneaking into the expanded playoff field.

Trea Turner had an RBI triple, Soto a run-scoring double and Asdrúbal Cabrera an RBI triple in the first.

Huascar Ynoa relieved Erlin and gave the Braves’ dangerous offense a chance to claw back. Freeman went deep in the fourth inning after Acuña’s leadoff walk. In the fifth, Acuña lofted reliever Wander Suero’s first pitch over the wall in right.

Austin Voth retired the first nine Atlanta batters but only got through the lineup one more time. He was lifted with one out in the fifth after he hit Tyler Flowers on the left arm with a pitch. Voth allowed three runs and two hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Because the Nationals were off Wednesday as Roberto Clemente was honored around baseball, manager Dave Martinez and his coaches wore Clemente’s No. 21 on Thursday.

Martinez said he wore the number as a football player in high school but had never worn it in a baseball game.

“He’s my idol. What he represents is unity,” Martinez said. “He means a lot to not only the Latin community but the baseball community, not only as a player but as a humanitarian.”