The Atlanta Braves are fairly cruising toward a wild-card berth in the upcoming National League playoffs.  They've also been off a few days dealing with the fallout of Hurricane Irene.  So you can imagine if they came in to tonight's game with the Washington Nationals with somewhat of a lack of focus.

The Nats used the long-ball to bust this game open in the middle frames, scoring seven runs in innings five through seven, as they walked away with a 9-2 win over the Braves before just 16,674 at Turner Field in Atlanta.

The Nats, who struggled all last week to score runs of any kind, had a very nice night at the dish, homering four times off Braves starter Jair Jurrjens (L, 13-6, 2.96) and reliever Christhian Martinez.  All told, the Nats pounded out 12 hits and went 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position, after leaving what seemed like the population of Rhode Island on base in their now-concluded six-game losing streak.

The middle of the order led the way, as Ryan Zimmerman (3-for-5, 3 RBIs), Michael Morse (3-for-5, 3 RBIs) and Laynce Nix (2-for-4, 2 RBIs) all homered, doing the bulk of the damage.  Danny Espinosa added a solo home run, his 19th of the year, but just his third since the All-Star break.

On the other side of things, "Good Livo" was back.  Veteran hurler Livan Hernandez went seven strong innings, holding the Braves potent attack to two earned runs on just five hits and three walks, striking out one.  Livo even doubled and scored on Zimmerman's fifth inning home run, his 10th of the season.  Tom Gorzelanny came on in relief and threw two hitless, scoreless innings, striking out two.

The win ups the Nats record to 63-70, and while the prospect of reaching the elusive .500 mark is dimming, the final 29 games almost certainly will see them eclipse 73 wins, the second best mark this team has achieved since moving to the District in 2005. 

One more thing: with the New York Mets loss to the Florida Marlins last night, the Nats pull within one game of third place in the division.  It might not mean much, but with Stephen Strasburg set to rejoin the rotation next week, and Tom Milone making his MLB debut Saturday, it's just another step in the right direction.

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THE GOOD:  Ryan Zimmerman.  A breakout game from him, considering he was just four for his last 27 plate appearances with just one walk.

THE BAD:  Rick Ankiel, hitting second, went 0-for-5, lowering his season average to .236.

THE UGLY:  Jesus Flores.  The backup catcher went 0-for-4, striking out three times.

THE STATS:  12 hits, two walks, 10 strikeouts.  4-for-9 w/RISP, four LOB, one GIDP. No errors.

NEXT GAME:  Wednesday at 7:10 pm against the Braves.  John Lannan (8-10, 3.59) faces Derek Lowe (8-12, 4.63).

"This was fun today.  Really fun."  Davey Johnson, on his team's 9-3 win over Atlanta.

The Washington Nationals finally had a "Davey Johnson game", pounding out six extra-base hits, including three home runs and two triples, and got another solid pitching performance from John Lannan, to take a second straight game from the Wild Card leading Atlanta Braves, 9-3, before 24,326 at Nationals Park.

The Nats manager has always preferred to play the Earl Weaver style of baseball, getting runners on and driving them home, as opposed to the Whitey Herzog philosophy of bunting runners over and playing "small ball".  He finally got one of those games.

"This was my kind of game," Johnson said happily from his office after the game. "I haven't had any yet. I've been here five weeks, and I've been waiting for one like this."

By the end of the game, Nats fans were so happy about winning the series from the Braves -- and the Nats fourth consecutive win overall -- some were taunting the opponent with their own version of the "Tomahawk Chop", the annoying and droning cheer made popular at Turner Field and occasionally broken out on the road in blowouts.

But the blowout last night was in favor of the home team, with Rick Ankiel blasting a grand slam for his third homer in two games, Ian Desmond's first home run since April, and Michael Morse's titanic blast, reaching the upper deck in center field, a spot previously reached in Nats Park by only the brawniest of left-handed hitters. 

Of the offensive outburst, Johnson said, "It's nice to see it. We haven't seen it all year long."

Lannan, on the other hand, got better as the game went on.  He was a bit shaky in the third and fourth innings, giving up three runs and looking like he might tax Johnson's bullpen.  Tom Gorzelanny even got up to get warm at one point. 

But after the Nats exploded for five runs in the fourth against Braves starter Derek Lowe (L, 6-10, 4.86), Lannan got into a real nice groove, retiring nine of the next ten batters before consecutive two out hits in the seventh had Johnson calling on Henry Rodriguez, who struck out Dan Uggla on a pitch on the outside corner that Uggla thought was a little too outside.

Hot Rod went on to finish the game, allowing just one hit and -- more importantly -- no walks, striking out four in his 2 1/3 innings of work, allowing Johnson to rest an overworked bullpen.  "The big thing today, not only my starter, but Henry Rodriguez," Johnson said without prompting in his post-game press conference. 

"He did a heck of a job, saved my pen.  He came in and was almost unhittable.  That was big.  He's got a great curve ball, and a lot of times he tries to do too much.  He really just stayed within himself.  He really didn't get behind on hitters.  And he's nasty.  His stuff is filthy."

For the night, Lannan (8-7, 3.65) went 6 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on nine hits and one walk.  He struck out eight, a season-high for him.  And for the second outing in his last three, Johnson stuck with him into the seventh inning, allowing Lannan to throw 110 pitches.

The Nationals have now taken consecutive series against division opponents, something that Johnson has said is critical for the Nats to compete.  They've also crept back to within three games of .500.  It's a confidence boost for them to shake off the six game losing streak last week by winning four in a row now. 

"This is what this club is capable of doing," Johnson said.  "When everyone starts getting that fever, that hitting fever, it's fun.  But the talent's been here."

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THE GOOD:  Five Nats had two hits apiece, and Ankiel's grand slam was the big blow.  Ian Desmond added three RBIs.

THE BAD:  There really wasn't anything bad in this one.  Even defensive replacement Brian Bixler got a hit in his only at bat, raising his season's average to .192.

THE UGLY:  Ugly for Atlanta.  Jonny Gomes scored on a Lannan grounder with the bases loaded when first baseman Freddie Freeman threw high to catcher David Ross, pulling him off the bag.  To make sure of his safeness, and to avoid the possibility of a double play, Gomes went out of his way to put a hard tag on Ross, and while Ross was in the air, Gomes swept his legs and Ross crashed to the ground on his back.  Upon the safe call, Ross argued with the ump to no avail.  Ross later told reporters, "I was for sure that I was on the base and I was for sure wrong."

THE STATS:  14 hits, two walks, six strikeouts.  3-for-8 with RISP, eight LOB, zero GIDP.  No errors or DPs.

NEXT GAME:  Wednesday at 1:05 against the Braves.  Chien-Ming Wang (0-1, 9.00) hosts Brandon Beachy (4-2, 3.27).

NATS NOTES:  RHP Collin Balester was recalled from AAA-Syracuse before the game to take the open roster spot when LHP Athualpa Severino was returned to the Chiefs yesterday.  Balester will be used primary as a "long man" in Davey Johnson's bullpen.

For eight innings, Seattle Mariners starter Doug Fister dominated the Washington Nationals, limiting the hottest team in baseball to just one run on three hits. 

When manager Eric Wedge took him out after the eighth inning to bring in closer Brandon League (20-of-23 in save opportunities in 2011) in a 5-1 ballgame, the task appeared overwhelming.

After Ryan Zimmerman hit into his third double play of the game three batters later, the Nats had one half of one percent chance to win the game.

But then Jerry Hairston bounced one up the middle that scored Jayson Werth, who reached on an error by first baseman Justin Smoak and took third on Zimmerman's DP.  Next, Michael Morse slammed a ball off League's leg, which allowed Morse to reach on an infield single and sent League to the showers when he was in too much pain to continue pitching.

Wedge summoned reliever David Pauley, who entered with an ERA for the season of 1.12 -- with no home runs allowed -- in 40 1/3 innings.

Pauley threw one pitch to Danny Espinosa: a 90-MPH sinker that the rookie second baseman pushed through the right side to score Hairston from second.

Then... well, just watch it again.

In less than 10 minutes, the Nats went from dropping two in a row and raising doubts about the nature of the recently concluded eight-game winning streak to beating the Mariners 6-5, continuing the happy vibes all over NatsTown. 

The four-run comeback was the largest ninth-inning deficit erased by this team since the move in 2005 and makes the Nats 14-6 in their last 20 games, a period that has seen their overall record go from seven games below .500 to just one, and from last place in the N.L. East to sole possession of third, with the New York Mets loss to Oakland last night.

Momentum in baseball is a funny thing.  It's unquantifiable, not found on any stat sheet.  This Nationals team has lots of problems on the roster, as dispassionate logic and statistical analysis tells us.  But right now, the team believes in themselves, the fans are having fun at the ballpark, and the wins keep rolling in.  Even the most hardened cynics have to hold their tongues right now.  The Nats are on a roll.

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THE GOOD:  Ramos' home run was a no-doubt-about-it shot, which landed several rows higher than the Red Porch restaurant seats, almost to the glass windows.  It was, truly, a majestic shot.

 

THE BAD:  Livan Hernandez.  Unfortunately, the reason for the comeback, other than Fister stifling the Nats hitters, was Bad Livo.  He only went four innings, allowing five runs -- four earned -- on 10 hits and a walk.

 

THE UGLY:  It's almost too much to bring up in such a stunning win, but Jayson Werth took a play off in the fifth that ended up costing the Nats a run, so it needs to be mentioned.  Brendan Ryan hit a soft single to right that Werth took his time getting too, and Ryan broke for second.  In a hurry to pick up the ball, Werth dropped it -- for his fifth error of the season -- and Ryan went into second without a throw. The next batter, Adam Kennedy, single to drive in the Mariners fifth -- and last -- run of the game, giving them a 5-0 lead at the time.

 

THE STATS:  Seven hits, two walks, three strikeouts.  4-for-6 with RISP, two LOB, three GIDP.  E: Werth (5).

 

NEXT GAME:  Wednesday at 7:05 against the Mariners at Nats Park.  John Lannan (4-5, 3.52) faces Erik Bedard (4-4, 3.16).

 

HARPER WATCH: Bryce Harper did not participate in the South Atlantic League All-Star Home Run Derby due to his sore thumb.  But he did play in the game, going 0-for-2 with a run scoring groundout, as his Northern Division team lost to the Southern Division All-Stars 6-3.

Pudge didn't play, but did celebrate the 20th anniversary of his Major League debut. (C.Nichols/Nats News Network)

Perhaps the biggest story of the night, Jayson Werth shaved. (C.Nichols/Nats News Network)

Michael Morse made a nice play from his knees to retire Justin Smoak at second. (C.Nichols/Nats News Network)

Danny Espinosa celebrates walk-off three-run homer. (C.Nichols/Nats News Network)

A week ago, after the Washington Nationals lost to the San Diego Padres 7-3 to fall to 27-36, the Nats were on a pace to win 69 games.

Man, what a difference a week makes.

Despite normally-reliable relievers Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen giving up single runs apiece in the eighth and ninth innings to force extra innings, the Nationals walked-off with a 7-4 win over the reeling St. Louis Cardinals after Danny Espinosa deposited his 12th home run of the season into the Nats bullpen in the bottom of the 10th inning.

Ryan Zimmerman got the rally started with a single up the middle, and after Laynce Nix struck out swinging, reliever Fernando Salas hit Michael Morse with his next pitch.  Espinosa worked the count to two balls and one strike, and Salas laid one in to Espinosa, who made no doubt about it.  It capped a three-hit night for the rookie second baseman, and the homer was his eighth hitting left-handed this season.

The Nationals have now won six games in a row since dropping the first game of the four-game set with San Diego, raising their record to 33-36, a 77-win pace.  What's more, they finish the night in fourth place in the N.L. East as the Florida Marlins continue to spiral out of control, and are a mere 5 1/2 games out in the National League Wildcard race.

It's the first time Washington has won six in a row since they closed the season in 2009 with seven consecutive victories.

The Nats took a 4-2 lead into the late innings and turned things over, as they have in many wins this season, to Clippard and Storen.  But both gave up solo home runs -- Clippard to Albert Pujols and Storen to Yadier Molina -- to blow the lead and reduce John Lannan to a no-decision. 

Lannan was excellent once again.  He induced 14 ground ball outs and was the beneficiary of two double plays.  Lannan went seven innings, allowing two earned runs -- including Matt Holliday's seventh of the season in his first game back off the D.L. -- on six hits and two walks, striking out two.

Manager Jim Riggleman called on Sean Burnett to pitch the tenth, with Todd Coffey warming behind  him.  Burnett got lefty Colby Rasmus on a grounder to second, and Riggleman decided to leave the lefty in to face Pujols, Holliday and Lance Berkman.  Burnett got Pujols to pop up to right field for the second out, walked Holliday, and struck out Berkman looking to end the frame.

Last Thursday, the Nats were 3-5 on their 11-game road trip and staring at three more game in San Diego's Petco Park, a place where hitters go to die.  They won those three games by a combined score of 6-2, and after their best player re-joined the team on Tuesday, the offense has been popping and they swept the best hitting team in baseball.

Yup, it's been a remarkable winning streak.  Folks have gone from talking about another last-place finish to making a run at the wild card.  It's a long season, and we're not even at the All-Star break yet.  But it's fun to entertain the notion, even for just a little bit.

A week can make a lot of difference. 

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THE GOOD:  Espinosa.  He's had five hits the last two games, and balls are starting to fall in for him a little bit.  He has 12 homers and 41 RBIs this season and with his stellar defense, has to start earning some consideration for rookie of the year.

THE BAD:  Clippard and Storen.  Hard to fault these two guys, they've been doing their job all season long.  I guess when your set-up and closer fail, it's best they fail in a game you come back and end up winning.

THE UGLY:  Matt Stairs.  Grounded to first in his only at bat,.  Hitting .122 (5-for-40) this season.

THE STATS:  10 hits, two walks, six strikeouts.  2-for-6 with RISP, seven LOB, zero GIDP.  E: Espinosa (5)

NEXT GAME:  Friday at 7:05 against the Baltimore Orioles at Nats Park.  Jason Marquis (7-2, 3.67) faces Zach Britton (6-4, 3.18).

NATS NOTES:  1B Adam LaRoche had successful surgery earlier in the day.  It was reported the doctors found and repaired a SLAP tear, a sizable tear of the labrum inside his left shoulder.  The Nationals maintain that LaRoche will be ready for spring training.  Several Nationals players have undergone the same procedure, including Cristian Guzman and Jesus Flores.

The Nationals franchise-best errorless streak came to an end.  Espinosa drew Michael Morse off first base trying to make a play on a slow roller.  The streak stopped at 13-plus games and 131 1/3 innings.

Jayson Werth and Roger Bernadina led off the game with back-to-back homers off Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse.  It's the first time two players started  the game with back-to-back homers since Brad Wilkerson and Jose Vidro did it for the Expos in June 2002.

VETERAN HURLER TOSSES NINTH CAREER COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT

For much of this season, the Washington Nationals offense has lied dormant, languishing at the bottom of the National League in most categories.  But Tuesday their leader returned and seemed to flip a switch in this team, as an eight-run outburst Tuesday night gave way to a 15-hit, four homer, 10-0 shellacking of the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, before 27,130 at jubilant Nationals Park.

The Nats winning streak reaches five games, the longest since August 2009, and inches them one step closer to the elusive .500 mark at 32-36.  The Cardinals, who came into the game tied for the lead in the N.L. Central, have lost five straight.

Not to be forgotten in the offensive fireworks, veteran starter Livan Hernandez pitched his finest game of the season: a complete game, three-hit shutout of the N.L.'s leading hitting team.  Livo did not walk a batter and struck out six.  In fact, Hernandez lowered his ERA to 3.77, earning his fourth win against eight losses.  He allowed just one batter to reach as far as second all night.

Often the hard luck loser this year, Livo had all the runs he needed last night.  The complete game was his 50th of his career and ninth complete game shutout.

Washington got to Cardinals starter Kyle McClellan in the second, when Michael Morse hit his 11th home run of the season.  That was just the beginning, though, as Ryan Zimmerman drove in his second run since rejoining the team Tuesday with a single up the middle that plated Jayson Werth in the third.

Things turned ugly for McClellan (L, 6-3), making his first start since being activated from the D.L., in the fourth inning.  Morse and Danny Espinosa both doubled to start off the inning, and Ivan Rodriguez singled to right, scoring Morse.  After a Livo sacrifice -- from the No. 8 spot in manager Jim Riggleman's order -- Ian Desmond bounced a ball to third that Albert Pujols could not handle, and Espinosa scored.

A batter later, Roger Bernadina continued his hot stretch, dumping a ball into left that Jon Jay couldn't get to, and Pudge came around to cap the three-run frame.

Deposed closer Ryan Franklin relieved McClellan, though Cards manager Tony LaRussa will think twice before calling his name again.  The Nats got one off Franklin in the sixth, as Desmond singled in Pudge from third, once again after Livo had sacrificed the runner up a base.

But that wasn't the end.  In the seventh, Michael Morse hit a colossal two-run shot over the visitor's bullpen and into Section 101, and Espinosa followed on the next at bat, clubbing one off the facing of the upper deck in right field above the Nats bullpen.  It was the first time Nats have gone back-to-back since August 2010 when Morse did the deed with the departed Jason Maxwell.

Jayson Werth, who was the only National position player to go hitless into the eighth inning, corrected that by adding a solo home run to left center as icing on the cake.

All that was left was for Livo to complete the game, and in the ninth he had no trouble at all.  He struck out Tyler Greene and Mark Hamilton, and coaxed a pop-up from Colby Rasmus to Zimmerman to end the game.  Livo needed just 105 pitches to dispatch St. Louis, and after the last was mobbed by his teammates and even received a pie in the face from Thursday's starter and clubhouse prankster John Lannan for his accomplishment.

The Nats have banged out 18 runs and 28 hits in the last two games, an almost inconceivable thought when they were slogging up and down the west coast last week, playing 2-1 games like that was the objective.  Is it mere coincidence this outbreak has happened with the return of the Face of the Franchise?  Entirely possible.  Zimmerman has contributed but one hit a night to the attack. 

But perhaps the entire team -- maybe the whole organization, fans included -- has taken a proverbial sigh of relief just seeing No. 11 back at his customary third base spot, hitting third in the order.

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THE GOOD:  Four players had multi-hit nights, but the star was Michael Morse.  He went 3-for-3 with two home runs and three RBIs, upping his batting average to .312.  Hot streaks don't get much hotter than the one Morse is riding right now.

THE BAD:  The Cardinals defense.  They made three errors, including two by out-of-position Albert Pujols at third base.  LaRussa assumes he's the smartest man in whatever room he's in, but he's out-thinking himself putting Prince Albert in a can over at third.

THE UGLY:  Ryan Franklin.  He was throwing meatballs up there.  Charlie and Dave on the radio remarked how everything Franklin was throwing was right over the heart of the plate, like he wasn't even trying to get guys out.  Guess what?  He didn't get guys out, and he now has an 8.17 ERA this season.

THE STATS:  15 hits, zero walks, three strikeouts.  5-for-10 with RISP, six LOB, two GIDP. No errors, making

NEXT GAME:  Thursday against St. Louis at 7:05 pm from Nats Park.  John Lannan (4-5, 3.60) faces Kyle Lohse (7-3, 2.67).

NATS NOTES:  Before the game, the Nats sent ineffective starting pitcher Yunesky Maya back to Syracuse, and recalled frequent flyer reliever Collin Balester back for the pen.  The team is expected to activate LHP Tom Gorzelanny from the D.L. to start Sunday against Baltimore.

The Nats extended their errorless streak to 122 2/3 innings across 13-plus games, extending their franchise record streak.

by Tyler Radecki, Staff Writer and Dave Nichols

NATIONALS BATS COME ALIVE, SCORE RECORD 17 RUNS IN WIN OVER ORIOLES

There was a lot of this going on for the Nationals last night. (C.Nichols/Nats News Network)

Maybe a trip 45 miles north on I-95 to Baltimore was just what the Washington Nationals needed. In their first interleague game of 2011, against their American League "geographic rivals", the team’s ice cold offense broke through in a big way, with a franchise record for runs in a game, beating the the Baltimore Orioles 17-5 Friday before 24,442 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

The team had six home runs, two triples, 19 hits, five walks, and an all-around spectacular night offensively.

The Nats scored runs in every inning but the first and third in the offensive showcase.  But the game was very much in doubt early on as the Orioles were scoring runs of their own, as the Nats led just 6-5 after four innings.  But that's when the Nationals exploded against Orioles reliever Jason Berken for six runs, including home runs by Roger Bernadina (2-for-6, two RBI) and the first of Jayson Werth's two round-trippers (7, 8).

Jayson Werth had a great day overall, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs on his 32nd birthday.

After the offensive outburst, things got a little tense in the Nationals dugout.  With a seven-run cushion, manager Jim Riggleman decided he'd seen enough of Nats starter Jason Marquis and changed pitchers for the bottom of the fifth inning, sending Henry Rodriguez to the mound.

Marquis was visibly upset in the dugout and had a little outburst of his own after he was informed by Riggleman he was being relieved, thus disqualifying him from a chance to earn the victory despite Marquis' performance this season as the Nats best pitcher, and the fact that they had a seven-run lead.   

Marquis was indeed struggling, having allowed five earned runs on eight hits and three walks, but it's was a slap in the face to the team's de facto ace not allowing him to at least start the inning.  Sure, if Marquis gives up a homer or a couple base runners, go get him.  But to yank him with a seven-run lead was curious at the very least.

"I was just trying to plead with [Riggleman] to stay in the game," Marquis told reporters after the game.  "Obviously I didn't get my way and just let a little emotion out.  Nothing other than that really, other than being a competitor and wanting to stay in the game."

Just how upset was Marquis in the dugout?  "I'd say about as upset as I've ever seen a ballplayer," Riggleman said.

Jason Marquis had his shortest outing of the season. (C.Nichols/Nats News Network)

Riggleman explained further, "I thought Jason was struggling through it, and I made the decision to take him out. It was a one-run game. If I'd had known we were going to go out there and score six, maybe I would have let him go back out there."

But after that inning, the difference was that the Nats continued to pour on the offense while the Nats’ bullpen shut the door. Rodriguez pitched three innings of scoreless relief followed by another two by Todd Coffey and Doug Slaten. Rodriguez picked up the win and had three strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 1.00.

It was a night in which the offense finally broke out after getting shut out in both games against New York earlier in the week. Rookies Danny Espinosa and Wilson Ramos paced the team, combining for eight runs scored, two triples, two home runs, six hits, 16 total bases, two walks, and seven runs batted in.

How often do you see two players from the same team have a chance to bat in the ninth inning with an opportunity to hit for the cycle?  Not often, and unfortunately Ramos grounded into a double play to end the ninth, ending both his and Espinosa's shot with the second baseman standing in the on-deck circle.

Outfielders Roger Bernadina and Laynce Nix also homered and contributed two hits to the cause.

Unfortunately, the two players that are perhaps struggling most of all on this team, Adam LaRoche and Matt Stairs, could not participate in the fun.  LaRoche went without a hit in three at bats, though he did reach twice with two walks and scored two runs.  Stairs though went hitless in four at bats, striking out twice and stranding five runners.  The 43-year old veteran, who hit fifth in Riggleman's lineup as the DH, is now hitting .077 (2-for-26) in 2011.

All in all, though, it was a true record-setting night for the Nationals as they broke their single-game franchise record for runs (17) and home runs (6). It was great to see the team rebound so well after losing Thursday night’s game in part because of a missed call at first base and being three-hit by a relative unknown pitcher.

Last year, the team began to unravel after a missed check swing call in Houston, so to see the team – especially the offense – come out and stay focused after a controversial conclusion Thursday night was a great sight. And really, anytime the team can score 17 runs is a good time.

Nats Happy Homer Time! (C.Nichols/Nats News Network)

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THE GOOD: There were so many great offensive performances, but Danny Espinosa had himself a big day. A double shy of the cycle, he continued to break out of his slump, going 3-for-4 with a walk, single, triple, home run and five runs batted in.

The Nats had seven players with multi-hit games against five Orioles pitchers.  Even both pinch-hitters (Michael Morse and Alex Cora) had base hits.

THE BAD: Jason Marquis was spotted the biggest run support of any Nats pitcher this year, but couldn’t earn the win as he went just four innings and gave up five runs on eight hits and three walks.

THE UGLY: Just about everyone in the lineup got some production Friday night – everyone but Matt Stairs, who started the game as the DH. Stairs' 0-for-4 night just continues his downward spiral this season.  When does it get to the point where the team is forced to make a move? It will be interesting to see what happens when Rick Ankiel returns from the disabled list.

THE STATS: 19 hits, five walks, nine strikeouts. 5-for-11 with RISP, 15 LOB, one GIDP. No errors.

NEXT GAME: Saturday at 4:05 against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. John Lannan (2-4, 4.53) faces Jeremy Guthrie (1-6, 3.91).

HARPER WATCH:  Bryce Harper went 2-for-3 with a double, home run (10) and three RBI's in Hagerstown's 5-4 loss to Greensboro. The 18-year old phenom is hitting .364/.447/.671 overall and is 13-for-39 (.333) in  his last ten games with three homers and 10 RBIs.

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BONUS PHOTOS:  Both center fielders had troubles in the field last night.  The Orioles' Adam Jones couldn't close his glove on a Jayson Werth blast and ended up knocking it over the fence for a home run.  Roger Bernadina flat dropped a routine fly ball after getting his spike caught in the rubberized warning track in straight-away center field.  Neither play really had any outcome on the game all things considered, but these are still two pretty cool pictures.

***Quotes in this post came from published sources, including The Washington Times.

Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson usually owns the Washington Nationals.  Entering play last night, Hudson had a career record of 11-2 against the franchise.  But last night the veteran starter fell victim to some shoddy defense by his normally reliable teammates in the middle innings, then a couple of bad pitches resulted in pair of two-out, three-run home runs by Laynce Nix and Jayson Werth, and the Nats managed to hold on to a 7-6 win before 16,143 at Turner Field.

It didn't come easy though, as the Braves rallied for five runs in the eighth against three different Washington pitchers.  But pinch-hitter Brooks Conrad's long fly ball off closer Drew Storen died on the warning track, as did Atlanta's hopes for a comeback victory in the ninth.

The Nats record sits at 17-18 after the win, and 3-4 on the nine-game road trip with two games to play.

The Nats were error-frees again and are 13-8 in games when they keep a clean sheet in the error column, compared to a 4-10 mark when they commit as least one error.

Nationals starter Jason Marquis earned his 100th career victory, pitching into the eighth inning.  He gave up seven hits and three walks, striking out three in 7 2/3 innings. But two of the three runs against scored after Marquis (4-1, 3.66) left the game, as Sean Burnett gave up a hit and a walk to his only two batters, then Tyler Clippard surrendered Dan Uggla's three-run home run to bring the Braves to within one.

After a visit from pitching coach Steve McCatty, Clippard settled down and got out of the inning.  Storen threw a 1-2-3 inning for his eighth save of the season. Storen has allowed just one earned run all season in 19 2/3 innings.  He owns a 0.46 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and .157 batting average against.

The Nats managed just five hits in the game, but scored seven runs thanks to a pair of errors in the fourth inning.  Braves 1B Freddie Freeman couldn't handle an Adam LaRoche sharp ground ball and center fielder Nate McLouth flat-out dropped Wilson Ramos' fly ball as he and right fielder Jason Heyward both tracked the ball. McLouth admitted after the game he took his eye off the ball to find the linebacker-sized Heyward running toward him.

The next batter, Nix, drilled a three-run shot into the right field stands.

The next inning, Werth hit a changeup that Hudson described to as a "brutal pitch selection" on a line to left field, and the Nats built a seemingly insurmountable 7-1 lead.  In the end, it was just enough to secure the victory.

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THE GOOD: Drew Storen.  Threw seven of his 10 pitches for strikes, getting two fly ball outs and a comebacker from Martin Prado to end the game.

THE BAD: Wilson Ramos went 0-for-4, stranding three runners.  His average slips to .301.

THE UGLY: Danny Espinosa went 0-for-4, lowering his average to .214. The rookie is 5-for-32 (.156) in his last ten games.

THE STATS: Five hits, three walks, six Ks.  3-for-7 with RISP, 2 LOB, 1 GIDP. No errors.

NEXT GAME: Today at 7:10 pm against Atlanta.  John Lannan (2-4, 5.09) vs. Tommy Hanson (4-3, 2.62)