Brewers 8, Nationals 5
Jeff Bianchi capped a five-run sixth inning with a two-run single and plated another run with a squeeze bunt in the eighth as host Milwaukee rallied to salvage the finale of the three-game series.
After scoring a total of one run in the first two games of the set, the Brewers erupted in the sixth to erase a 4-1 deficit. Carlos Gomez began the uprising with a sacrifice fly and Bianchi completed it as he blooped a single over the drawn-in infield to plate a pair.
Bianchi sealed the win in eighth with a squeeze bunt that scored Khris Davis as Milwaukee snapped its three-game losing streak. Adam LaRoche and Anthony Rendon hit solo homers for the Nationals, who remained 6 1/2 games behind Cincinnati for the second National League wild-card spot.
John Axford (5-4) notched the victory despite serving up Rendon's blast in one inning of work. Jim Henderson tossed a perfect ninth en route to his 15th save.
Fernando Abad (0-3) took the loss as he allowed two runs on three consecutive hits before recording the final two outs of the sixth. Kurt Suzuki delivered a two-run single for the Nationals, who have lost three of five.
GAME NOTEBOOK: LaRoche has homered in back-to-back games after going 1-for-26 over his previous seven contests. ... Milwaukee starter Kyle Lohse, who yielded three runs - two earned - on five hits in five innings, got himself in trouble in the third by hitting two of the first three batters he faced. Both came around to score as Washington rallied to take a 3-0 lead. ... Washington starter Taylor Jordan surrendered four runs and four hits in 5 1/3 frames.