Vazquez 3-hits Nats to keep Braves' hopes alive

Javier Vazquez allowed a run and three hits in his third complete game of the season, leading the Atlanta Braves to a 4-1 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.

His performance enabled the Braves, who started play 3 1/2 games behind Colorado for the NL wild card, to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive. Atlanta has won four straight and 12 of 14.

Vazquez (15-9) allowed a leadoff home run to Josh Bard, his sixth, in the eighth inning. Vazquez also gave a leadoff single to Willie Harris in the first and a one-out double to Ryan Zimmerman in the fourth. He retired 11 straight between Zimmerman's double and Bard's homer.

Vazquez, who won his fifth straight, struck out seven and walked one. He is 10-2 since July 7.

John Lannan (9-13) allowed two unearned runs in seven innings for the Nationals, who lost for the 101st time — one shy of last year's total. On Thursday, Washington became the first National League time in 35 years to lose 100 games in consecutive seasons.

Lannan threw a season-high 122 pitches, losing for the fourth time in his last five starts due to a madcap first inning.

With two outs, Chipper Jones lined a ball at right fielder Josh Willingham, which he couldn't field. Jones was awarded a single. After Brian McCann walked, Yunel Escobar's grounder went through second baseman Pete Orr's legs for a two-base error, scoring Jones. Garret Anderson's fly ball fell between center fielder Justin Maxwell and left fielder Harris for a base hit to score McCann.

Lannan allowed six hits, walked three and struck out six.

The Braves added a third unearned run in the eighth when Escobar led off with a sinking line drive to center that Maxwell couldn't catch. Shortstop Ian Desmond retrieved it and threw wildly, allowing Escobar to reach second. He moved to third on an infield out and scored on Matt Diaz's single.

Martin Prado his a leadoff home run in the ninth — his 11th — for Atlanta