Braves win homer contest, game 2-1 over Nats

Anthony Rendon and Trea Turner opened tonight's game with singles against Braves right-hander Matt Wisler. But Wisler battled back, stranding both runners in the first.

Ian Desmond led off with a double off the top of the center field wall, just missing his 20th homer. Again, the Nats were unable to plate a runner on second with no outs as Wisler retired the next three hitters in order.

With two outs in the fourth, A.J. Pierzynski smacked a hanging curveball from Nats right-hander Tanner Roark over the right field wall for a solo homer.

Bryce Harper set a new franchise record, drawing his 124th walk of the season in the third inning. Harper broke Ken Singleton's mark from 1973 with the Expos.

Update: Turner drilled his first major league homer with a leadoff shot to left in the sixth off Wisler. The Nationals had already tracked the ball down by the time Turner rounded the bases and Ryan Zimmerman presented the smiling 22-year-old with the memento in the dugout.

Update II: Pierzynski tagged Roark for another solo homer in the seventh as the Braves regained the lead.

After yielding a two-out single to Andrelton Simmons, Roark exited the game. He allowed two runs on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts through 6 2/3 innings in one of his better starts of the year.

Left-hander Matt Grace followed Roark to the mound and struck out Michael Bourn to end the frame.

Update III: Jayson Werth and Clint Robinson lined singles to left to start the ninth. But Ian Desmond's sacrifice bunt attempt ended up right in front of the plate. Pierzynski pounced on it, firing to third for the force. Daniel Castro then nailed Desmond at first for a double play.

The Braves beat the Nationals 2-1.