To the 12th we go (Nats win a marathon, 8-7 in 15 innings)

ATLANTA - This game is just nuts. We head to the 12th inning tied 7-7 here at Turner Field after Ian Krol delivered two scoreless frames working for the second straight day. This comes after the rookie right-hander allowed a walk-off homer to Justin Upton in the bottom of the 10th last night. Quite a strong bounce-back performance from Krol, who has been mentally beaten down pretty good lately during a rough stretch. The Nationals don't have a hit since Ryan Zimmerman's homer with one out in the eighth. The bats have gone silent. The only remaining reliever for the Nats is Craig Stammen, who will work the 12th. The only other available pitchers on the 25-man roster are Dan Haren, Jordan Zimmermann and Gio Gonzalez, who is scheduled to start tomorrow. Today is Haren's throw-day, and he almost certainly threw a bullpen session earlier. If a position player is needed to take the mound at any point, my money is on Adam LaRoche. The Braves, meanwhile, are on their last reliever, Luis Avilan, who hit Bryce Harper last night. Avilan got Harper to ground out to second to lead off the top of the 11th. The internet on my computer has pretty much stopped working. I am blogging and tweeting from my phone. Desperate times. Update: Stammen worked a scoreless 12th, getting Brian McCann to fly out to the edge of the track in center for the final out. The Turner Field crowd thought they had another walk-off homer. No sir. The Braves are going to Kris Medlen for the 13th. Medlen was scheduled to start for them on Tuesday. This is Medlen's first relief appearance since July 25, 2012. Nats hitters are 0-for-9 in extras. Kurt Suzuki is the only position player remaining on the Nats' bench. Update II: This game will not end. The Nats and Braves are going to the 14th inning after Stammen's second scoreless frame. He struck out the side in the 13th, with Medlen going down swinging with a runner in scoring position to end the inning. My scorecard is a mess. My computer is barely hanging on. But we keep going. Update III: Adam LaRoche is ready to go to bed. LaRoche just crushed a solo homer to right leading off the top of the 15th to give the Nats an 8-7 lead. This was LaRoche's 18th homer of the season, giving him the team lead. We're past the five-hour mark. This now ties the longest game in Nats team history, matching the final game of the 2009 season, here in Atlanta. It'll likely be Stammen for the bottom of the 15th, his fourth inning of work, as the Nats try and close this out. Update IV: Shows how much I know. It's Dan Haren for the 15th, in search of the first save of his 11-year career. Buckle up, boys and girls. Update V: It's over. It's finally over. Haren pitched a scoreless 15th, locking down the first save of his 11-year career and the Nationals win one of the more ridiculous ballgames I've seen in a while, 8-7. Stammen gets a much-deserved win, LaRoche drives in the winning run with his 18th homer and after all that's gone wrong this season, the Nats get to leave Turner Field with smiles on their faces for tonight. Time of game: 5 hours, 29 minutes. Sleep fast, everyone. We've got another game in a little over 12 hours.