Braves 2 - 9 Nationals
Final
  for this game

Harper hits 2 more HRs, Nats rip Braves

May 9, 2015 - 5:26 AM Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - Bryce Harper smacked a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning and added a three-run shot in the eighth as the Washington Nationals defeated the Atlanta Braves 9-2 in the opener of a three- game set.

Harper has slugged five homers in his last two games, coming off a three-homer night Wednesday against the Miami Marlins.

"Hopefully I hit two more tomorrow," Harper said.

"That's a special month for a lot of people and he's done it in two days," Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman said.

Danny Espinosa also hit a pair of homers for the Nationals, who have won five of their last six games. Gio Gonzalez (3-2) struck out eight and allowed two runs on five hits and a walk over seven innings.

Jayson Werth added a solo shot in the triumph.

Freeman ripped a pair of doubles and drove in a run for Atlanta, which had won four of its last six games coming in. Eric Stults (1-3) fanned seven, but surrendered three runs on seven hits over six frames.

The Braves led 2-0 before the Nationals plated a run in the fourth, two in the sixth, another in the seventh and three more in the eighth to surge in front.

Werth launched a 1-2 fastball deep into the seats in left to lead off the fourth. Yunel Escobar began the sixth with a single and Harper put the Nats in front with his two-run blast to left-center that barely crept over the wall.

Espinosa's one-out solo shot to left in the seventh made it 4-2, while Harper's three-run homer and Espinosa's second round-tripper, a two-run blast, in the eighth made it 9-2.

Earlier, Jonny Gomes' sacrifice fly in the first and Freeman's RBI double in the third staked Atlanta to its 2-0 margin.

Game Notes

Harper already has 10 homers and 25 RBI on the season ... Escobar and Werth scored a pair of runs ... Freeman had two of Atlanta's six hits ... Washington was 2-for-4 with runners in scoring position, while Atlanta finished 1-for-5 with RISP.






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