Washington Nationals' Livan Hernandez Throws 50,000th MLB Pitch, Beats Atlanta Braves, 9-2 Final.

• Tonight's Turner Field Top Five:

5. MORSE CRUSH: Livan Hernandez's 36th career start against Atlanta begins with the 36-year-old, 16-year veteran surrendering a leadoff single to right by Braves' leadoff man Michael Bourn in the bottom of the first after yet another scoreless frame by the Nationals' offense in the top of the inning. Martin Prado grounds back to the mound, however, so the Nats' right-hander can start a 1-6-3 DP before retiring Brian McCann on a fly to right right that ends a six-pitch at bat which stretches Hernandez to 11 pitches after a scoreless first. And Livan's got a 1-0 lead after Nats' 1B/LF Michael Morse crushes a hanging 2-0 slider from Jair Jurrjens about 400-410 ft to left for HR no. 23 of 2011 by the Nationals' big bopper. 1-0 Nats after one and a half...

4. 50,000: A leadoff walk to Dan Uggla in front of Larry "Chipper" Jones is followed by a walk to Jones as well, and Livan Hernandez is once again trying to work out of trouble in the second. A sliced fly to left by Freddie Freeman drops in for a base-loading single since the Braves had to wait to see if it fell in front of Michael Morse. A pop foul of first by Alex Gonzalez doesn't get the job done, but Jason Heyward lifts an 0-2 bender deep enough to center that not even Rick "The Arm" Ankiel has a chance of throwing Uggla out. 1-1 game. A 1-2 pitch to the opposing pitcher is no. 50,000 of Livan Hernandez's 16-year career and he gets a groundout with it. 1-1 after two.

• Livan's first pitch? Pitch no. 1: September 24, 1996 to Braves' catcher Javy Lopez. Pitch no. 50,000: August 30, 2011 to Braves' pitcher Jair Jurrjens.

3. Zim Hustles. Extend Him!: Ryan Zimmerman hustles down the line after connecting for a swinging bunt on a 1-2 slider with two down in the Nats' third. Braves' catcher Brian McCann fields and sails the throw over 6'5'' Freddie Freeman at first allowing Zim to take an extra bag. Jair Jurrjens thinks he has a strike with a 2-1 fastball to Michael Morse, but it's called ball three and his 3-1 pitch is low too, but Michael Morse reaches down for it and lines an RBI single to center that brings Zim around and gives Washington a 2-1 lead. A 14-pitch 1-2-3 third has Livan at 48 pitches through three in Turner Field with the lead.

1. Don't Taunt, Livan!: Livan Hernandez taunts Dan Uggla with a 1-2 curve the Braves' second baseman almost hurts himself missing, but when Hernandez tries it again with a little more on it up to 70 mph from 64, Uggla lines it to left for a leadoff single in the fourth. Hernandez gives up a two-out walk but pops Jason Heyward up on an 0-2 sinker. 2-1 Nationals after four and Livan doubles to left for his first two-bagger of 2011 to lead off the fifth. Hernandez takes third on an Ian Desmond single and both of them come around one out later when Ryan Zimmerman goes yard! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! THE KIDS CALL HIM ZIM!! HR no. 10 of 2011 by Ryan Zimmerman. The Nats' FOF sends one out to the right of center. 3- run HR, 5-1 Nationals. 400+ft oppo blast by Zim.

0. Left Side Danny: After an 8-pitch 1-2-3 fifth from Livan Hernandez, Danny Espinosa jacks a hanging 1-1 slider from Jair Jurrjens for HR no. 19 on the year by the Nats' second baseman and the third HR tonight off the Braves' right-hander whose slider has been up in the zone all evening, especially the slider. 6-1 Nationals. After a 12-pitch 1-2-3 6th by Livan Hernandez, who retires 9 of 10 batters after Dan Uggla's leadoff single in the fourth, the Nationals take a 9-1 lead when Ryan Zimmerman doubles to right-center with two down and scores on a Morse single before Laynce Nix's two-run blast brings around two more, 9-1 Nationals. Nix's 16th HR of 2011 tops a career-high.

-1. Mr. National Himself: Livan Hernandez gives up a run in the seventh on an RBI single by Jason Heyward and he's done after he completes the frame. 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 105 pitches, 61 strikes, 11 groundouts, 5 flyouts, 9-2 Nationals when he leaves. Tom Gorzelanny throws a scoreless eighth. The Braves bring Craig Kimbrel out to get some work and after his scoreless top of the ninth, Gorzelanny completes a quick 1-2-3 ninth and the Nationals snap a six-game losing streak with a 9-2 win.

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Nationals now 63-70.