Rally comes up short

Braves score five in final two innings of 7-6 loss to Nationals

WASHINGTON — Daniel Murphy hit a two-run homer and drove in four runs, rookie Reynaldo Lopez pitched seven innings for his first major league win and the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 7-6 on Saturday night.

Trea Turner had three hits, including a homer and one of Washington’s three triples. Ben Revere had the other two and drove in a run for the NL East leaders.

The Nationals played their fifth consecutive game without injured right fielder Bryce Harper and first without former closer Jonathan Papelbon, who was released before the game to make room on the roster for Lopez (1-1). The right-handed Lopez allowed one run and five hits.

Trailing 7-1 entering the eighth, Atlanta scored five runs in the final two innings against the bullpen, including four in the ninth. Mark Melancon came on after the Braves scored twice in the ninth and recorded the final three outs for his 33rd save.

Erick Aybar’s two-run double against Melancon pulled the Braves within one, but he was thrown out trying to reach third with zero outs. The Braves have lost three of four.

Rob Whalen (1-1) surrendered six runs and six hits in five innings in his third big-league start.

Lopez, one of Washington’s top prospects, didn’t pitch five full innings in either of his previous big league starts, and this start opened with a thud. Freddie Freeman put Atlanta up 1-0 in the first with his 23rd home run, matching his career high. Lopez kept Atlanta scoreless from there while dancing out of the occasional trouble.

Washington countered in the bottom of the inning with Turner’s leadoff triple and Murphy’s towering drive down the right-field line for a 2-1 lead before the sellout crowd.

Turner homered during a tworun third inning and scored his third run in the fifth on Revere’s second triple.

Papelbon was 2-4 with a 4.37 ERA and 19 saves this season. He labored in July and pitched only 2 2/3 innings after his final blown save July 26. The Nationals acquired Melancon a few days later from Pittsburgh.

The Braves recalled righthander Ryan Weber from Triple-A Gwinnett and optioned righthander Akeel Morris to Double-A Mississippi before the game.

Washington’s Jayson Werth, right, slides into home to score as Atlanta catcher A.J. Pierzynski waits for the throw during the sixth inning of Saturday’s game. The Nationals beat the Braves 7-6.