Braves blank Nats, close within a game of Mets in NL East

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WASHINGTON (AP) – Bryce Elder threw a six-hit shutout for his first career complete game, and the Atlanta Braves defeated Washington 8-0 Monday night to close within one game of the first-place New York Mets in the NL East and hand the Nationals their 100th loss of the season. Matt Olson and Orlando Arcia hit two-run homers and Marcell Ozuna added a solo shot for Atlanta, which like New York has already clinched a playoff berth. Both teams have eight games remaining, including a head-to-head three-game series beginning Friday in Atlanta. Elder (2-3) threw 106 pitches and allowed only one runner to reach third base while taming the Nationals in his eighth career start. He struck out six for the Braves, who have won three in a row and eight of 11. The Nationals are a major league-worst 53-100, their first 100-loss season since going 59-103 in 2009. Washington starter Cory Abbott (0-4) set down 10 of the first 11 Atlanta batters before plunking Austin Riley with one out in the fourth. Two batters later, Olson lined his 29th homer off the right-field foul pole. Abbott allowed five runs (four earned) in five-plus innings while striking out a career-high seven. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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