WASHINGTON -- It was last week that rookie Michael A. Taylor crashed into the center field fence at Nationals Park and injured his leg while chasing a triple.

Taylor, who has played sparingly since then, was back at Nationals Park on Friday and he crushed a soaring three-run pinch-hit homer in the last of the 10th inning over that same fence to give the Washington Nationals a 5-2 win over the Atlanta Braves to keep their playoff hopes alive.

"It felt pretty good," said Taylor, who had not hit a home run since Aug. 22. "It is a huge win for our team. We lost the lead late. Everyone contributed."

His homer also scored center fielder Bryce Harper and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who singled to start the 10th. It was the first career walk-off homer and pinch-hit homer for Taylor, who did not play Thursday.

"That was awesome. That was great to see," Harper said of the Taylor's homer, his 14th off the year, against Brandon Cunniff. "I just think he's a ballplayer. He's a gamer."

Washington (69-65) is now 11-3 this year against the Braves and moved within five games of the NL East-leading Mets.

It was the fourth walk-off homer for Washington this year and first since Zimmerman went deep May 19 against the Yankees.

"We are going to keep battling," said Matt den Dekker, who tied the game with a two-out single in the ninth.

The Braves (54-81) have lost 10 in a row, 11 straight on the road and have not won a road game since Aug. 2 at Philadelphia.

"I like everything about the ballgame except the ending," Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We didn't walk anybody (in the 10th). They got three hits to beat us."

Washington tied the game at 2 in the last of the ninth on a two-out single by den Dekker, who had entered the game to play left field. Reliever Peter Moylan retired second baseman Anthony Rendon on a grounder for the final out of the ninth with two runners on.

Pinch-hitter Nick Swisher had a one-out RBI single against reliever Drew Storen in the eighth to give the Braves a 2-1 lead.

One night after collecting 18 hits in a 15-1 win, the Nationals had just two hits in the first five innings then left the bases loaded in the sixth after three singles in a row.

Atlanta starter Julio Teheran went six innings and allowed one run on five hits but was not involved in the decision.

"I tell you what. He pitched really well," Gonzalez said of Teheran. "There were a couple of situations in the sixth where you could have taken him out. For me it was his game to lose."

The winning pitcher was Jonathan Papelbon (3-1), who pitched the ninth and 10th.

The loser was Matt Marksberry (0-3), who gave up the single to Harper in the 10th and then was pulled.

Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman had three hits and has 16 hits in 30 at-bats this year against Washington.

Center fielder Cameron Maybin had two hits for the Braves.

Left fielder Jayson Werth, Harper, Zimmerman and third baseman Yunel Escobar had two hits for the Nationals.

Harper hit a long solo homer to right to give Washington a 1-0 lead in the first inning. It was the 32nd homer of the year for Harper, who entered the game third in the league even though he had not gone deep since Aug. 21.

The Braves tied the game on an RBI infield single off starter Tanner Roark in the third by catcher A.J. Pierzynski.

Roark, who allowed one run and five hits in 4 1/3 innings, was making his first start for the Nationals since June 28 at Philadelphia and his seventh overall this year. He has pitched out of the bullpen in 28 games for Washington.

"I felt good, I felt strong. It feels good to be out there again," Roark said.

Said Washington manager Matt Williams: "Everyone did a nice job tonight. Everyone was pretty intense."

NOTES: The Nationals called up RHP Tanner Roark from Double-A Harrisburg to start against the Braves. Roark, who won 15 games as a starter last year, had made two minor league starts in order to build up his pitch count after spending most of the season in the bullpen for the Nationals ... Washington OF Bryce Harper did not have an official at-bat Thursday but walked four times, scored four runs and drove in one. According to Elias Sports Bureau, he is the first player since 1920 (when RBIs began being kept as a statistic) to perform such a feat. ... Braves RHP Shelby Miller (5-12, 2.56 ERA) will start on Saturday against Washington LHP Gio Gonzalez (9-7, 4.13). ... Atlanta 1B Freddie Freeman began Friday ranked 11th in the National League with an average of .351 (27-for-77) with runners in scoring position.