A Matt den Dekker two-out single tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, and a Michael Taylor three-run homer won it for Washington in the 10th in a key 5-2 walk-off win over the Atlanta Braves Friday night at Nationals Park.
Bryce Harper hit his 32nd homer in the first to give the Nats an early 1-0 lead. The Braves tied it at 1-1 in the third on an RBI single by A.J. Pierzynski.
An eighth-inning RBI single by Nick Swisher gave Atlanta a 2-1 lead.
Yunel Escobar led off the bottom of the ninth with a double off Braves reliever Arodys Viscaino. Pinch-runner Trea Turner advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Ian Desmond, but pinch-hitter Wilson Ramos struck out swinging for out number two.
den Dekker lined a 98-mph 1-0 fastball to center to score Turner with the tying run.
Harper led off the bottom of the 10th with a single off reliever Matt Marksberry. Ryan Zimmerman singled off reliever Brandon Cunniff, bringing up Taylor, pinch-hitting for pitcher Jonathan Papelbon (3-1, 1.68 ERA), who hit a 1-0 slider out of the park to dead center for the walk-off.
Washington (69-65) has won three games in a row, and with the win, the Nats gained a game on the New York Mets (74-60) in the National League East standings. The Mets lost in extra innings at Miami, 6-5, on Friday, and now lead Washington by five games.
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