Rookie Leads Braves Over Nationals

 WASHINGTON (AP) - Pinch-hitter Brooks Conrad hit a go-ahead
three-run homer in the seventh inning and the Atlanta Braves beat
the Washington Nationals 9-8 on Friday night for their season-high
fifth straight win.
      Yunel Escobar drew a leadoff walk from Jesus Colome (1-1) and
moved to second on Matt Diaz's sacrifice bunt. Colome walked Casey
Kotchman with two outs before Conrad, a 29-year-old rookie whose
contract was purchased from Triple-A Gwinnett to replace the
injured Kelly Johnson, crushed a 1-0 fastball over the right-field
fence for his first career homer.
      Boone Logan (1-0) pitched 1 2-3 perfect innings of relief.
Rafael Soriano worked the ninth for his eighth save in nine tries,
despite yielding Cristian Guzman's two-out, two-run double.
     
      (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)