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Braves walk off on Freeman's single

Jul 18, 2011 - 12:51 AM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Freddie Freeman's two-out RBI single in the ninth lifted the Braves over the Nationals, 9-8, in the rubber match of a three game set.

After Nate McLouth tied the game in the eighth with a solo homer, the Braves put runners on first and second in the ninth before Freeman hit his game- ending single to score Martin Prado.

Craig Kimbrel (3-2) earned the win for Atlanta, which has won 12 of its last 16 games.

Danny Espinosa was a double shy of the cycle after going 3-for-5 with three RBI.

Ryan Mattheus (2-1) was pegged with the loss after giving up the game-winning hit.

Nationals' starter Tom Gorzelanny left the game in the third inning with a twisted right ankle. Gorzelanny injured the ankle after colliding with Brian McCann during a play at the plate. He is listed as day-to-day.

The Braves jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. Jordan Schafer led off with a walk, stole second before moving to third on a Jesus Flores throwing error, then scored when Prado singled to center. Two Gorzelanny walks loaded the bases before a wild pitch allowed Prado to score. Gorzelanny was able to record the final two outs of the frame without allowing any more damage.

The Nationals answered back in the third to tie the game. Gorzelanny reached on a fielder's choice then scored when Roger Bernadina tripled to right- center. Gorzelanny collided with McCann at the plate after Dan Uggla's relay throw pulled McCann up the line. The ball skipped away allowing Bernadina to score as well.

Washington took a 6-2 lead with a four-run fourth. Laynce Nix led off with a single before Flores and Ian Desmond hit back-to-back doubles to push two across.

Later in the frame Bernadina singled then scored on Espinosa's triple. Ryan Zimmerman followed by doubling off the top of the center field wall to plate Espinosa.

"It seemed like it was the offense's day," said Braves starter Jair Jurrjens, who yielded a season-high six runs on eight hits in five innings.

Atlanta rallied in the fifth to take a 7-6 lead. Wilkin Ramirez doubled and Jason Heyward was hit by a pitch before Schafer singled to knock in a run. McCann followed two hitters later with a three-run blast to tie the game. Alex Gonzalez knocked in the then go-ahead run with a groundout to second. Freeman scored the run after reaching via walk.

With Bernadina aboard, the Nationals took a one-run advantage in the sixth after Espinosa sent a first-pitch fastball into the bleachers in left-center for a two-run homer.

"The Braves are a good team. When you're playing a team like that they keep pushing and don't give up," Espinosa said. "I guess they just continued to play. It's just how the game goes sometimes I guess."

Game Notes

Uggla extended his hitting streak to nine games...Espinosa's sixth-inning two- run homer was his 16th of the season -- the most among big league second basemen...The Nationals fell to 18-19 in one-run games this season.