Tonight just wasn't the Atlanta Braves night. The bounces wouldn't go their way, multiple bad calls were made by the umpires and Tommy Hanson struggled to keep the ball in the park.
Hanson worked 5.1 innings and surrendered eight hits, two walks and five runs. He had a quick first inning, but the wheels fell off soon after that. He probably should have been lifted after his fifth inning of work, but Fredi Gonzalez decided to keep him in the game. John Lannan continued to fool the Braves hitters at the plate and allowed just two runs on five hits and four walks over 5.2 innings. Ryan Mattheus, Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen combined to work the final 3.1 innings and didn't allow a baserunner to reach.
Wilson Ramos started his big night in the second inning with an RBI-ground-rule double to give the Nats a 1-0 lead. John Lannan hit a seeing-eye single up the middle to bring in two more. Alex Gonzalez countered in the bottom half of the second with a 2-run homer to left field to cut the deficit to one. Unfortunately for Atlanta, they were unable to cash in one multiple opportunities with runners in scoring position and would not score again after Gonzo's blast.
Ramos delivered the knockout punch in the sixth inning with a monster 2-run homer that drove both he and Rick Ankiel. George Sherrill, Cory Gearrin, Eric O'Flaherty and Scott Proctor combined to work the final 3.2 innings and allowed just one hit and two walks.
The Phillies lost to the Mets, so Atlanta remains 3.5 games back in the NL East. They'll go for the series victory Sunday afternoon as they turn to Jair Jurrjens. He'll be opposed by Tom Gorzellany. First pitch will be at 1:35.