Reds 8, Nationals 5
CINCINNATI -- Zack Cozart's double with the bases loaded in the eighth inning drove home the tying and go-ahead runs, lifting the Cincinnati Reds to an 8-5 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday afternoon at Great American Ball Park.
First baseman Joey Votto hit a two-run homer in the third inning for the Reds (21-27), who took the first two games in the weekend series and ended the Nationals' streak of nine straight series victories.
Aroldis Chapman notched his ninth save. J.J. Hoover (3-0) earned the victory.
Left fielder Michael Taylor hit a three-run home run for first-place Washington (28-21), which played without right fielder Bryce Harper (sore back).
Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the eighth, the Reds loaded the bases against right-hander Casey Janssen with one out in the eighth.
After Marlon Byrd lined to second, it was Cozart's turn. The Reds' shortstop crushed a double over Denard Span's head in center, driving in two runs to put the Reds ahead 6-5.
Pinch hitter Skip Schumaker was intentionally walked to load the bases again, and center fielder Billy Hamilton singled to drive home two more runs.
Janssen (0-1) allowed four runs on four hits and two walks in one inning.
The Nationals went ahead in the first inning when third baseman Yunel Escobar doubled and raced home on first baseman Ryan Zimmerman's single.
Nats starter Gio Gonzalez escaped a first-inning jam when catcher Brayan Pena lined to shortstop Ian Desmond, who stepped on second to complete the inning-ending double play.
Votto put the Reds ahead with a two-run blast in the third. Votto's ninth home run this season traveled an estimated 412 feet to center, making the score 2-1.
Reds rookie Raisel Iglesias, who made his fourth start, hit Gonzalez with a pitch to move second baseman Danny Espinosa into scoring position with one out in the fifth. Espinosa scored on Span's single moments later, tying the score 2-2.
With two outs in the sixth, Taylor jumped all over an 0-1 pitch from Iglesias for a three-run homer (Taylor's fourth homer of the season) to give the Nationals a 5-2 lead.
Taylor, one of three left fielders filling in for injured Jayson Werth, had struck out in his previous two at-bats against Iglesias. Before the homer, Taylor had been mired in a 1-for-24 skid, with 13 strikeouts.
Gonzalez left with the Nationals clinging to a 5-4 lead. He allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
The right-handed Iglesias, one of three rookies to start for Cincinnati in this series, retired seven straight in one stretch. He finished with five runs allowed in 5 2/3 innings and a career-high eight strikeouts.
NOTES: Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg was placed on the 15-day disabled list with stiffness in his neck. He left Friday night's start after throwing just 16 pitches. Strasburg is 3-5 with a 6.55 ERA in 10 starts. ... Washington recalled RHP Taylor Hill from Triple-A Syracuse. ... Reds 2B Brandon Phillips returned to the lineup after missing three straight starts with turf toe. ... RHP Raisel Iglesias is the first Reds pitcher to reach the major leagues without appearing in the minors since RHP Mike Leake in 2010. ... Nationals RF Bryce Harper was scratched from the lineup with a sore back. Harper was struck by a pitch from Tony Cingrani in the seventh inning Friday. ... Nationals 3B Yunel Escobar was ejected for arguing a called third strike in the seventh.