Taylor's heroic blast lifts Nationals past Braves in extras

The Washington Nationals called on Michael Taylor, and the youngster delivered.

Taylor pinch hit for the Nationals in the bottom of the 10th inning and smacked a three-run home run to give Washington a 5-2 walk-off victory over the Atlanta Braves.

(Courtesy: MLB.com)

Taylor became the first player in the history of the current Nationals team to hit a pinch-hit walk-off home run.

"I want to play, so I was standing at the bat rack the whole game, trying to get in the game, just to be able to get in there and get a chance," Taylor, who has been nursing a knee injury, said postgame. "I'm just standing close, stretching, things like that."

Bryce Harper, who was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two walks, delivered some early damage with the longest home run of his career before Washington was able to score a game-tying run in the ninth to push it into extras, where Taylor would deliver his first walk-off.

Atlanta has lost 10 consecutive contests for the first time since 2006.

Washington, on the other hand, has won three straight as it continues to hunt down the New York Mets - who lost to the Miami Marlins on Friday - in the National League East.