Washington Nationals hands Atlanta Braves another loss

WASHINGTON — Wilson Ramos tied a career high with four hits and also drove in two runs and Daniel Murphy added two hits, including a two-run homer in the first, as the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 6-4 Monday on a night that both starting pitchers were hit hard.

It was the first four-hit game for Ramos since Sept. 15, 2013 against the Philadelphia Phillies. Ramos had a two-out single in the seventh to drive in a run and give the Nationals a 6-4 advantage.

The Braves, who have lost 11 in a row in Washington (4-1), are now 0-6 and the only team without a win in the National League.

Washington starter Max Scherzer (1-0) was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the sixth after he gave up four runs on six hits in six innings, with six strikeouts on 100 pitches. Bud Norris (0-2), the Braves starter, allowed five runs on nine hits in five innings.

Jonathan Papelbon, the Washington closer, appeared in back-to-back games for the first time this season and pitched the ninth for his fourth save in as many tries.

Ryan Zimmerman had two hits, three runs, a walk and sacrifice fly for the Nationals, and Michael A. Taylor had two hits from the leadoff spot after he entered the game hitting .063. The Braves’ Nick Markakis had two doubles, and Adonis Garcia also had two hits for Atlanta.

Bryce Harper of the Nationals went 0-for-3 with a walk and struck out for the first time this season, as he took a called third strike in the seventh against Atlanta lefty Eric O’Flaherty. Harper had not fanned in his first 16 official at-bats this season, and now has seven walks, two homers and two doubles.

Ramos gave the Nationals a 5-4 lead in the fifth with a solid RBI single with two outs against Norris. It was the third straight hit in the game for Ramos, who hit a career-low .229 last season.

The Nationals, in a game with a lot of early-inning offense, had tied the game at 4 as Danny Espinosa had a sacrifice fly in the third.

Markakis had two-run double with two outs in the second as the Braves took back the lead at 4-3 against Scherzer.

Washington had scored three runs in the first as Zimmerman had a sacrifice fly to drive in the first run and Murphy followed with a two-run homer to right to give the Nationals a 3-2 lead. It was the second homer of the year and first at home for Murphy, who signed as a free agent in January after spending all of his career with the New York Mets.

The Braves grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first as A.J. Pierzynski lined a two-run double with two outs to right-center to score Freddie Freeman and Garcia.