CINCINNATI -- Not much has gone right for the Washington Nationals during this weekend's series in Cincinnati. On Saturday, Bryce Harper was out with a sore back and Stephen Strasburg was placed on the disabled list with neck stiffness.

Meanwhile, the Reds, who'd lost 10 of 11 coming into the series, have righted their ship.

Zack Cozart's double with the bases loaded in the eighth inning on Saturday drove home the tying and go-ahead runs, lifting Cincinnati to an 8-5 victory over the Nationals at Great American Ball Park.

First baseman Joey Votto hit a two-run homer in the third inning for the Reds (21-27), who took the first two games in the weekend series and ended the Nationals' streak of nine straight series victories.

Washington (28-21) hadn't lost two straight games since April.

A team meeting called by manager Bryan Price following Wednesday's loss to Colorado seems to have done the trick for the Reds.

"It was a really good meeting, talking about pressing," Cozart said. "We're all good players. We've done our work in the cage, we've done our work everywhere. Just go out and play."

Aroldis Chapman notched his ninth save. J.J. Hoover (3-0) earned the victory.

Left fielder Michael Taylor hit a three-run home run for the first-place Nationals, who learned moments before the game they'd be without Harper.

"I tried to get loose but when I went on the field, it didn't feel very good," Harper said. "It's more of a bone bruise. When I swing and I turn, it doesn't feel very good."

Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the eighth, the Reds loaded the bases against right-hander Casey Janssen with one out.

After Marlon Byrd lined to second, it was Cozart's turn. The Reds' shortstop crushed a double over Denard Span's head in center, driving in two runs to put the Reds ahead 6-5.

It's been quite the turnaround offensively for Cozart, who set career lows in nearly every offensive category last year.

"It's always nice to see guys who are this invested have success, especially coming off a tough year," said Price. "He just shows up and plays hard."

Cincinnati wasn't finished against Janssen (0-1) who allowed four runs on four hits and two walks in one inning.

Pinch hitter Skip Schumaker was intentionally walked to load the bases again, and center fielder Billy Hamilton singled to drive home two more runs.

The Nationals went ahead in the first inning when third baseman Yunel Escobar doubled and raced home on first baseman Ryan Zimmerman's single.

Nats starter Gio Gonzalez escaped a first-inning jam when catcher Brayan Pena lined to shortstop Ian Desmond, who stepped on second to complete the inning-ending double play.

Votto put the Reds ahead with a two-run blast in the third. Votto's ninth home run this season traveled an estimated 412 feet to center, making the score 2-1.

Reds rookie Raisel Iglesias, who made his fourth start, hit Gonzalez with a pitch to move second baseman Danny Espinosa into scoring position with one out in the fifth. Espinosa scored on Span's single moments later, tying the score 2-2.

With two outs in the sixth, Taylor jumped all over an 0-1 pitch from Iglesias for a three-run homer to give the Nationals a 5-2 lead.

Taylor, one of three left fielders filling in for injured Jayson Werth, had struck out in his previous two at-bats against Iglesias.

Before the homer, Taylor had been mired in a 1-for-24 skid, with 13 strikeouts.

The right-handed Iglesias, one of three rookies to start for Cincinnati in this series, retired seven straight in one stretch. He allowed five runs in 5 2/3 innings and had a career-high eight strikeouts.

"In that inning, I made one mistake, and it cost me the game," Iglesias said. "I was throwing a good game. I just left a bad pitch and he was smart