Harper, Espinosa both hit a pair of homers, Nats win 9-2

The Nationals caught some tough luck in the first inning when starter Gio Gonzalez hit the game's second batter, Andrelton Simmons. Gonzalez's breaking ball glanced Simmons' right foot as it shot out of the box on a check swing. Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman followed with a double to set up a sacrifice fly from left fielder Jonny Gomes, which plated Simmons easily.

Freeman is now is 9-for-14 (.642) against the Nats this year and owns a career. 339 batting average in 77 games versus Washington.

Braves starter Eric Stults retired the Nats in order in the first.

Update: Freeman's assault on the Nats continued in the third when he doubled to right-center field scoring Simmons for the Braves second run. Second baseman Danny Espinosa's relay throw to catcher Wilson Ramos was in time to get the speedy Simmons but Ramos couldn't corral the ball off one hop.

Back-to-back singles from Ryan Zimmerman and Ramos gave the Nats runners on the corners with one out in the second. But Stults battled back to strike out Ian Desmond and Espinosa to end the threat.

Update II: After missing the last two games, Jayson Werth returned tonight and belted his first homer of the year to lead off the fourth. The no-doubter to deep left field came in Werth's 76th at-bat of the season.

Update III: Third baseman Yunel Escobar singled to start the sixth. Two batters later, Bryce Harper ripped his ninth home run of the season. The two-run shot is Harper's fourth homer in his last seven at-bats.

Gonzalez retired 12 straight batters before a double Braves second baseman Phil Gosselin in the seventh. No harm done though as Gonzalez worked out of the inning.

Gonzalez allowed two runs on five hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in seven innings.

Update IV: Espinosa crushed an opposite field homer into the Braves' bullpen beyond the fence in left in the seventh. It is Espinosa's third home run of the season.

All four of the Nats' runs have come off the long ball.

Lefty Matt Grace pitched a scoreless eighth. The 26-year-old rookie has not allowed a run in any of his eight appearances thus far.

Update V: Harper blasted another home run to deep right in the eighth. The three-run shot ties Harper with the Reds' Todd Frazier for the National League lead with 10.

And then Espinosa re-joined the party, ripping his second of game. The two-run clout gives Espinosa three multi-homer games in his career.

Blake Treinen pitched a scoreless ninth and Espinosa ended it with a sensational leaping catch.

The Nats scored all nine runs off homers.

The Nats beat the Braves 9-2.