Nationals 6, Braves 2
Mike Morse and Willie Harris hit home runs in support of left-hander John Lannan as the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 6-2 on Thursday to avoid a three-game sweep.
Lannan (5-5) held the Braves to two runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings for the win, improving to 3-0 since returning Aug. 1 from a six-week stint in the minors.
The Nationals staked Lannan to a 4-0 lead, scoring on Morse's solo homer in the second, Ian Desmond's RBI single in the third and Roger Bernadina's RBI double and Ryan Zimmerman's RBI single in the sixth.
Atlanta cut the lead in half on Matt Diaz's two-run double in the bottom of the sixth, but Harris pushed the lead back to four with a two-run shot off Kyle Farnsworth in the ninth.
The two home runs were the first the Braves have allowed in nine games since Aug. 8.
Braves starter Derek Lowe (11-11) allowed four runs on six hits over seven innings. He has lost five of his last six starts.