Atlanta 7 at Washington 9 - Recap

WASHINGTON -- Pinch-runner Michael A. Taylor scored the go-ahead run on an error in the last of the eighth and the Washington Nationals broke a tie with three runs that inning to beat the Atlanta Braves 9-7 on Tuesday.

Ryan Zimmerman led off the eighth with a walk and was replaced by Taylor, who stole second base. After a walk to Danny Espinosa by reliever Jose Ramirez, pinch-hitter Ben Revere put down a bunt in front of the plate.

Atlanta catcher Tyler Flowers threw the ball past third trying to get Taylor on a force play, allowing the go-ahead run to score. Trea Turner followed with a two-run single -- his second hit of the game -- to left to make it 9-6.

The first-place Nationals (81-57) remained 8 1/2 games ahead of the New York Mets in the National League East. The Braves (54-85) lost for just the second time in eight games one day after being eliminated from postseason play. Atlanta is 2-13 against Washington this year.

The winning pitcher was Koda Glover (2-0), who retired his only two batters in the eighth, while Ramirez (2-2) suffered the loss. Closer Mark Melancon pitched the ninth and recorded his ninth save while with the Nationals despite allowing an RBI single to Dansby Swanson.

Atlanta got two hits each from Flowers, Ender Inciarte and Adonis Garcia. Daniel Murphy had three hits for the Nationals and Bryce Harper had two. Swanson had two hits and drove in three runs for the Braves, including a solo inside-the-park homer in the second inning.

Garcia had an RBI double and Matt Kemp drove in a run with a groundout as the Braves took a 2-0 lead in the first.

Braves rookie Swanson got the first homer of his big-league career in the second to make it 3-0. It was an inside-the-park shot in his 56th career at-bat and it went over the head of Turner, who was making just his 14th start in center field in the majors.

Swanson was the first Atlanta player since Paul Runge in 1985 to hit an inside-the-park homer for his first career homer. The Vanderbilt product was also the first Atlanta player to hit an inside-the-park homer since Wes Helms pulled it off in 2001.

Washington starter Gio Gonzalez had an RBI single in the second to cut the lead to 3-1.

But the Braves responded in the third as Freddie Freeman had an RBI single to make it 4-1 and extend his hitting streak to 13 straight games.

Rendon responded in the last of the third with the first grand slam of his career to put the Nationals up 5-4. The homer to left came on an 0-2 pitch and was his 17th long ball of the season.

Two batters later Zimmerman hit a solo homer to right to build the margin to 6-4 against Atlanta starter Williams Perez, who was lifted after allowing six runs in 2 1/3 innings.

Perez came off the 60-day disabled list Friday from a right rotator cuff strain and it was his first big league appearance since June 6.

Swanson trimmed the lead to 6-5 in the fourth when he drove in a run with a groundout. Then Atlanta reliever Joel De La Cruz singled in a run to tie the game at 6.

Gonzalez gave up six runs in three innings plus two batters but also did not figure in the decision. Gonzalez had won all four of his decisions in August and was 6-1 with a 3.02 ERA in his 10 previous starts.

NOTES: The Nationals called up RHP Lucas Giolito and INF Wilmer Difo from Triple-A Syracuse before the game ... Atlanta CF Ender Inciarte had a single in the first to extend his hitting streak to 17 games, the longest active streak in the majors. ... Braves 1B Freddie Freeman was named the National League Player of the Week for the week ending Sunday. He hit .400 (8-for-20) and had a slugging average of .850 during the week ... Washington RHP Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 3.59) threw on the flat ground in the outfield before the game. He has been on the disabled list since August 22, retroactive to August 21, with right elbow soreness and could pitch Wednesday, according to manager Dusty Baker ... Atlanta RHP Mike Foltynewicz (8-5, 4.31) is slated to pitch Wednesday against Washington, which had not announced its starter ... Atlanta RHP Matt Wisler (strained left oblique) played catch before Tuesday's game and interim manager Brian Snitker is hopeful he will be able to pitch in the coming week or so. Wisler is 6-11 with a 4.76 ERA in 23 games, with 22 starts.