Desmond’s sac fly in 11th lifts Nationals past Braves, 2-1

CORRECTS THAT DESMOND HIT SACRIFICE FLY, INSTEAD OF SINGLE - Washington Nationals' Ian Desmond is doused with chocolate syrup by Max Scherzer, right, after a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park, Wednesday, June 24, 2015, in Washington. Desmond hit a sacrifice fly to score the winning run. The Nationals won 2-1 in 11 innings. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) CORRECTS THAT DESMOND HIT SACRIFICE FLY, INSTEAD OF SINGLE - Washington Nationals' Ian Desmond is doused with chocolate syrup by Max Scherzer, right, after a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park, Wednesday, June 24, 2015, in Washington. Desmond hit a sacrifice fly to score the winning run. The Nationals won 2-1 in 11 innings. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

By Associated Press June 24, 2015 3 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – Ian Desmond hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift Washington to a 2-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night for the Nationals’ fifth straight victory.

Bryce Harper started the winning rally with a double to right-center off Dana Eveland (0-1) and gave the crowd and the Nationals a scare when he came up limping badly at second. But after being checked out, he stayed in the game.

Eveland then intentionally walked Wilson Ramos and then walked Clint Robinson to load the bases. David Aardsma came on to face Desmond, who hit his sacrifice fly to deep left that drove in Harper to end the game.

Felipe Rivero (1-0) earned his first major league victory for Washington with an inning of scoreless relief in the 11th.

The Braves now have dropped two in a row.