ATLANTA -- Kelly Johnson homered and drove in three runs, Eric Stults pitched 6 1-3 strong innings and the Atlanta Braves beat Washington 8-4 on Monday night to give the Nationals their sixth straight loss.
Johnson's two-run homer into the right-field seats came in Atlanta's three-run sixth inning off Doug Fister (1-1). Fister gave up 10 hits and five runs, four earned, in 5 2-3 innings.
The Nationals committed four errors, including two by Fister on errant pickoff attempts.
The losing streak is Washington's longest since six straight from July 19-24, 2013.
Stults (1-1) allowed two runs on four hits and three walks. Johnson had three hits, including a run-scoring single off Rafael Martin in the seventh.
Before the game, Nationals manager Matt Williams said right-hander Max Scherzer will not make his scheduled start on Tuesday night because of a sprained right thumb. Williams said Scherzer had difficulty throwing his slider. Scherzer jammed his thumb while batting against St. Louis on Thursday but could return within a few days.
Cody Johnson took over for Stults with one out in the seventh and hit Reed Johnson with a pitch to load the bases. Denard Span's fly ball to center field drove in Wilson Ramos, who singled. Cody Johnson struck out Ryan Zimmerman to end the inning.
A video review was needed to determine the pitch skimmed Reed Johnson's hand
Both dugouts were warned after Washington's Rafael Martin hit Andrelton Simmons with a pitch to open the bottom of the seventh. Simmons moved to third when Chris Johnson's grounder bounced past Ian Desmond. It was Desmond's ninth error in 20 games.
Washington third baseman Yunel Escobar left the game in the fifth after his left hand was cut on Simmons' slide into the bag. Simmons, who advanced from first on Fister's errant pickoff throw for an error, kicked the ball out of Escobar's glove with the slide.
Simmons was stranded on third when Freddie Freeman struck out while trying to check his swing. Freeman, standing well up the first-base line, was ejected after flipping his helmet.
Dan Uggla, who entered the game after Escobar's injury, had a run-scoring triple off Cody Martin in the eighth. Uggla scored on Jace Peterson's throwing error.