ATLANTA _ Ronald Acuna sure knows how to announce his returns.
For the second time since Aug. 26, Acuna homered in his first at-bat back from injury. And like the last time, he did it to begin a doubleheader. The eventual result: a 7-1 Braves' win Friday over the Nationals in Game 1.
Acuna opened the afternoon with a home run to center, his first of two off Nationals starter Austin Voth. Acuna didn't think it would carry out, slamming his bat in disgust before the ball floated over the wall. The blast tied Acuna with Felipe Alou for the most leadoff homers in team history (17).
The 22-year-old added a two-run homer in the fourth. It was his second multi-homer game this season, both of which came in doubleheaders.
"He's got a way of doing that," manager Brian Snitker said of Acuna's knack for producing in his returns. "Some of them are chosen, that's for sure."
Acuna has six homers in five doubleheader games entering Game 2. The Braves are 5-0 in such games. They will try to complete their third doubleheader sweep at Truist Park on Friday night.
This was the first game Acuna has played since Sunday, when he left early because of hamstring tightness. Acuna was in his fifth game since returning from wrist inflammation that sidelined him for 11 games in August. He returned Aug. 26, homering off Gerrit Cole in his first at-bat and helping the Braves sweep the Yankees.
With Friday's win, the Braves extended the Nationals' misery. The defending champs are closer to the No. 1 overall pick in the draft than a spot in the expanded postseason field. Washington is 12-24, having lost seven in a row and 10 of 11. It trails the Braves by 10 { games in the National League East.
The Braves, meanwhile, won their fifth consecutive game since losing two in Philadelphia. They outslugged the Phillies in the series finale, swept the Red Sox in Boston and returned home to defeat the Nationals.
