It was billed as the best statistical pitching matchup since Fernando Valenzuela and Dwight Gooden battled at Chavez Ravine in 1985. Gio Gonzalez vs. Brandon Beachy, both taking their sub-2.00 ERAs to the mound, both hoping to notch an important victory for their team.

But when it was over, when the Washington Nationals had soundly defeated the Atlanta Braves, 7-2, in front of a national audience on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, there was only one pitcher whose name was being uttered in the same sentence as Cy Young.

"What a game Gio pitched," said Nationals manager Davey Johnson whose team improved to 5-1 on their current nine-game National League East road trip.