Nationals 8, Braves 6
WASHINGTON -- Right fielder Bryce Harper hit a two-run homer with one out in the ninth inning against reliever Cody Martin as the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 8-6 on Saturday before a sellout crowd of 39,193 fans.
It was the sixth homer in the last three games for Harper, who went deep for the 11th time this year. It was the third walk-off homer in Harper's four seasons in Washington.
The Nationals had a chance to take the lead in the eighth, but pinch runner Michael A. Taylor was thrown out at home by Atlanta left fielder Kelly Johnson on a single by pinch hitter Dan Uggla, a former Brave.
Atlanta had tied the game at 6-6 with three runs in the eighth. Second baseman Jace Peterson, starting on his 25th birthday, drove in a run with a groundout with the bases loaded against reliever Tanner Roark, and catcher Christian Bethancourt followed with a two-run double. Bethancourt was 2-for-4.
The Nationals (16-15) are over .500 for the first time this season after getting their ninth win in the last 11 games. Atlanta (14-16) has lost 11 of 16 to Washington since June 21, 2014.
The Nationals scored three runs in the second inning as catcher Jose Lobaton hit a two-run homer following a one-out single by shortstop Ian Desmond. Later in the inning, third baseman Yunel Escobar had an RBI single to score second baseman Danny Espinosa, who had doubled.
Lobaton was 3-for-4 and Escobar was 2-for-5.
Washington starter Doug Fister, who gave up three runs in 6 2/3 innings, did not allow a hit until third baseman Alberto Callaspo had a bloop single to left to lead off the fifth. Center fielder Cameron Maybin doubled down the left-field line with two outs to drive in Callaspo and cut the deficit to 3-1.
First baseman Ryan Zimmerman gave the Nationals a 6-1 lead in the fifth when he hit a three-run homer just over the fence in left after the replay overturned the call on the field. It was the third homer of the season for Zimmerman -- his first since April 14.
The Braves trimmed the deficit to 6-3 in the seventh as Fister gave up a two-run, pinch-hit double to Pedro Ciriaco. The Nationals then brought in lefty Matt Thornton, who retired right fielder Nick Markakis on a liner to right as Harper made a fine running catch near the warning track for the final out.
Atlanta starter Julio Teheran, in his 10th career start against the Nationals, gave up six earned runs on 10 hits in five innings, with six strikeouts, three walks and two homers allowed.
The winning pitcher was Drew Storen (1-0), who threw a scoreless ninth, while Martin (1-1) took the loss.
NOTES: Braves LHP Alex Wood (1-2, 4.32 ERA) will face Washington RHP Jordan Zimmermann (2-2, 4.15 ERA) in the series finale Sunday ... Nationals RF Bryce Harper, who hit five homers in his previous two games, entered Saturday with 25 RBIs in 102 at-bats this year. That was the same total as LF Jayson Werth and 1B Ryan Zimmerman had in their 195 combined at-bats. Harper has started all 31 games this year; last year he played in 100 games and hit 13 homers. ... Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, the first manager of the Nationals in 2005, was honored before the game.