Unreal stretch for Bryce Harper continues with walk-off homer, Nats win 8-6

The Nationals are on quite a roll with the long ball. Catcher Jose Lobaton joined the party in the second inning with a two-run shot into the second deck beyond the right field wall at Nats Park. For Lobaton, both of his homers this season have come off Braves starter Julio Teheran.

Second baseman Danny Espinosa followed Lobaton's blast with a double to center field. Three batters later, third baseman Yunel Escobar hit a two-out flare to center plating Espinosa for the Nats' third run.

Nats starter Doug Fister has breezed through the first three innings, allowing only Braves right fielder Nick Markakis to reach base when he plunked him to start the game.

Update: Fister didn't allow a hit until Braves third baseman Alberto Callaspo singled to left to lead off the fifth. It looked like Fister might get out of the inning without any damage until center fielder Cameron Maybin ripped a double on a 3-2 fastball that scored Callaspo for the Braves' first run.

Nats first baseman Ryan Zimmerman answered the Braves in the bottom of the inning. After back-to-back singles from Jayson Werth and Bryce Harper, Zimmerman smoked a bullet that just cleared the wall in left. The hit was originally ruled a double but switched to a homer after a quick review.

The three-run shot is Zimmerman's third home run on the season and raises his RBI total to 20, second best of the Nats.

Harper is 1-for-2 on the afternoon, and drew his major league-leading 27th walk in the third inning.

Update II: Three straight Braves' hits, including two doubles, led to two runs in the seventh and ended Fister's afternoon.

He gave up three runs on six hits, with no walks and three strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

Lefty Matt Thornton followed Fister to the mound to face the left-hander Markakis. With Maybin on second, Markakis roped a ball that appeared to be headed for extra bases, but Harper made a spectacular running, over-the-shoulder grab to end the threat.

Right-hander Aaron Barrett will start the eighth for the Nats.

Update III: Barrett loaded the bases on two singles and a walk in the eighth. With only one out, Nationals manager Matt Williams called for right-hander Tanner Roark from the bullpen. Roark got Braves second baseman Jace Peterson to ground out on a dribbler up the first base line but one run came in.

Braves catcher Christian Bethancourt entered today's game batting just .159 but with two on and two outs in the eighth, he smoked a double to the left-center field gap clearing the bases and tying the game.

After the damage was done, Nats closer Drew Storen came on to pitch a perfect ninth inning.

Update IV: Bryce Harper clobbered a two-run walk-off homer to beat the Braves 8-6 in the bottom of the ninth.

Storen gets the win. The Nats beat the Braves 8-6.