Gio Gonzalez dominates, Bryce Harper homers (Nats win 8-2)

The Nationals received a gift in the third and they took full advantage of it. Ian Desmond lifted a routine fly ball to center to start the inning. Cameron Maybin never saw it, barely taking a few steps forward with his arms extended. Left fielder Nick Swisher raced over, but was too late and Desmond reached on a double.

After Wilson Ramos grounded out and Gio Gonzalez struck out, Desmond scored when Shelby Miller uncorked a wild pitch and the Nats lead 1-0. Jayson Werth then hit a ground rule double to left-center.

Anthony Rendon drilled a line drive single to left plating Werth. Facing Bryce Harper, Miller quickly jumped ahead 0-2. But Harper proceeded to foul off four pitches, eventually working the count full before depositing the 10th pitch into the seats in left-center for his 33rd homer. The two-run blast was also Harper's 500th career hit.

The Nats added two more runs in the fourth when Escobar and Desmond sprinted home after Braves catcher Christian Bethancourt botched a slow roller off the bat of Ramos.

Gonzalez has held the Braves hitless through four innings, allowing two walks with three strikeouts.

Update: Harper smoked a double to right-center to start the fifth. Moments later, Zimmerman singled to left scoring Harper for his 100th run of the season.

Update II: Gonzalez turned his best start since beating the Dodgers on Aug. 10. The left-hander didn't give up a hit until the sixth inning, yielding only two overall, in six scoreless innings that included 10 strikeouts and four walks.

Rendon ripped a leadoff single in the sixth and then moved to third on Harper's second double of the game. Zimmerman followed with a groundout, scoring Rendon.

Update III: Left-hander Matt Grace surrendered two runs in the eighth on an RBI double from Nick Swisher and an RBI sacrifice fly by Michael Bourn.

Update IV: Right-hander Blake Treinen pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief to finish off the Braves.

The Nationals beat the Braves 8-2. The Mets shut out the Marlins 7-0, so the Nats remain five games out of first place in the National League East.