Washington Nationals blow lead, but beat Atlanta Braves, 7-6 on Clint Robinson single in 9th

Washington took a three-run lead into the eighth, but Atlanta Braves’ first baseman Freddie Freeman hit a game-tying, two-run double to left-center off Nationals’ reliever Koda Glover to tie things up at 6-6 after the Nats committed two errors in the inning to allow the Braves back into the game.

The Nationals rallied in the top of the ninth, however, with Wilson Ramos singling with one down and Clint Robinson driving in pinch runner Pedro Severino with a two-out RBI single to center that gave the Nationals their 10th win in 11 games with their NL East rivals this season. 7-6 final.

Here’s how it happened:

Trea Turner (9 for 19, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR vs ATL in 2016) doubled to left (10 for 20) on a 1-1 fastball up high inside from Braves’ starter Julio Teheran and moved up on a bunt by Ben Revere before Bryce Harper brought him in with a groundout to the right side. 1-0 Nats after the top of the first.

Nats-killer Freddie Freeman almost did it to the Nationals again in the fourth, sending a two-out shot to right-center for what looked like a home run until Ben Revere made a ridiculous leaping catch at the wall to bring it back in for out No. 3 of Tanner Roark’s fourth scoreless frame.

Three straight Nationals reached base against Braves’ righty Madison Younginer in the top of the sixth with a leadoff single by Anthony Rendon, walk by Clint Robinson and single by Danny Espinosa making it 4-0.

A sac bunt by Tanner Roark moved Espinosa to second, with Robinson on third, and a groundout by Trea Turner brought Robinson in for run No. 5, 5-0 Nationals.

Ender Inciarte got the Braves on the board in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out, two-run, line drive home run to right that made it a 5-2 game in the Nationals’ favor.

Roark walked Chase D’Arnaud in front of Freeman in the next at bat, but a pop to left ended a 22-pitch frame that left the Nationals’ starter at 91 pitches.

Nick Markakis battled Roark for nine pitches in his one-out at bat in the seventh and hit a 3-2 curve out to right for a solo blast that got the Braves within two, 5-3. That was it for Roark.

Tanner Roark’s Line: 6.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 Ks, 2 HRs, 103 P, 57 S, 4/6 GO/FO.

Blake Treinen took over on the mound with one out in the seventh and retired both batters he faced to keep it a two-run lead, 5-3.

Clint Robinson singled to start the Nationals’ eighth and scored from second two outs later on an error by Gordon Beckham on a Trea Turner grounder to third, 6-3.

Matt Belisle gave up a leadoff double to left-center by Dansby Swanson in the Braves’ half of the eighth, and an error by Danny Espinosa put runners on the corners with no one out.

Swanson scored on a force at second base on a grounder to first by Ender Inciarte.

Koda Glover came on with one on and one out and got a grounder to third out of Jeff Francoeur, but Anthony Rendon threw it into right field.

Freddie Freeman stepped in next and drove the first pitch he saw to left-center for a two-run double that tied it up at 6-6.

The Nationals came right back, however, with Wilson Ramos singling with one down against Braves’ right-hander Jim Johnson. Pinch runner Pedro Severino moved into scoring position on a groundout by Jayson Werth, and after a walk by Rendon, Clint Robinson hit an RBI single to center to make it 7-6 Nationals.

Mark Melancon came on for the save opportunity and worked around a one-out single by Dansby Swanson for a scoreless ninth and the save. Ballgame. 7-6 final.

Nationals now 72-49

NATS NOTES:

• Through 10 games this season, Washington is 9-1 against Atlanta, 6-1 in Nationals Park and 3-0 against the Braves in Turner Field.
• Washington’s 71-49 after last night’s win left them with the second-best record in the majors, behind only the Chicago Cubs (77-43).
• Washington ranked second in run differential as well (+143) after last night’s 8-2 win, behind only, again, Chicago (+209).
• Jayson Werth extended his on-base streak to 46-straight games with a double in the fifth inning of last night’s game.
• Over the course of his on-base streak, the 37-year-old outfielder has 43 hits and 32 walks and a .382 OBP.
• In today’s “Fun with Arbitrary End Points” segment: Nats’ 2B/CF Trea Turner is 14 for 37 (.378 AVG) with three doubles, two triples, a homer, five steals and 11 runs scored in his last seven games.
• In a bonus “Fun with Arbitrary End Points” segment: Anthony Rendon is 32 for 101 (.317 AVG) with 11 doubles, six home runs, 10 walks and 16 runs scored... since July 16th.

Nationals now 72-49