Nationals 3, Braves 0: Ian Desmond blasted a two-run homer and Tanner Roark pitched seven stellar innings as visiting Washington clinched the National League East title.

Desmond went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, hitting a towering shot deep into the left-field seats with one out in the sixth as the Nationals won the division for the second time in three seasons. Roark (14-10) gave up five hits – all singles – with four strikeouts and Drew Storen notched his seventh save.

Aaron Harang (11-11) surrendered only two runs on five hits with two walks and eight strikeouts over seven frames for the Braves, who once again failed to provide their pitching any offensive support in losing for the 11th time in 14 games. Chris Johnson finished 2-for-3 and Phil Gosselin also recorded two hits as Atlanta fell 5 1/2 games behind Pittsburgh for the second NL wild-card spot.

Jayson Werth walked leading off the sixth and, after Adam LaRoche struck out, Desmond hammered a 2-2 breaking ball for his 23rd homer of the season and a 2-0 advantage. Roark threw 58 of his 89 pitches for strikes in allowing two earned runs or fewer for the ninth time in his last 13 starts, and Desmond doubled in the ninth before scoring on David Carpenter's wild pitch.

Johnson singled in the third and fifth but was stranded at second base in both frames as Atlanta suffered its fifth straight loss and eighth in nine contests. The Braves have scored a total of eight runs in their last five games.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Nationals homered in their 21st consecutive road game, tying the 2013 Oakland Athletics for the second-longest streak in major-league history and moving within three of the record (Baltimore, 1996). … The loss dropped Atlanta’s record to 75-76, the first time the Braves have been under .500 since dropping their season opener. … Washington LF Bryce Harper, who left Monday’s series opener after feeling lightheaded, started and went 1-for-4.