WASHINGTON -- Production from the top of the order and rookie pitcher Reynaldo Lopez fueled an early lead for the Washington Nationals. Then a relay throw saved the day for the NL contenders.Daniel Murphy hit a two-run homer and drove in four runs, Lopez pitched seven innings for his first major league win and the Washington Nationals held off the Atlanta Braves 7-6 on Saturday night.Trailing 7-1 entering the eighth, Atlanta scored one run in the eighth and four in the ninth against the bullpen. Mark Melancon came on after the Braves scored twice in the ninth and recorded the final three outs for his 33rd save.Erick Aybars two-run double against Melancon pulled the Braves within one. With no outs and Freddie Freeman on deck, Aybar tried for third base and was thrown out by shortstop Danny Espinosa, who relayed the cutoff toss from center fielder Ben Revere.The Braves challenged the call, but replay upheld the ruling.The game-saver was a relay that you work on all the time from Ben to Danny, Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. If (Danny) had a lesser arm, it would have been a runner on third.Trea Turner had three hits, including a homer and one of Washingtons three triples. Revere had the other two and drove in a run for the NL East leaders.The Nationals played their fifth straight game without injured right fielder Bryce Harper and first without former closer Jonathan Papelbon, who was released before the game to make room on the roster for Lopez (1-1). The right-handed Lopez allowed one run and five hits.It was a great performance, Baker said. We didnt want to blow that.Rob Whalen (1-1) surrendered six runs and six hits over five innings in his third big league start. The Braves have lost three of four.Lopez, one of Washingtons top prospects, didnt pitch five full innings in either of his previous big league starts, and this start opened with a thud. Freeman put Atlanta up 1-0 in the first with his 23rd home run, matching his career high. Lopez kept Atlanta scoreless from there while dancing out of occasional trouble.Its an incredible feeling especially since Im trying to help the team get a playoff spot, the rookie said of his first win.Baker said Lopez would probably get another start, but wouldnt commit.Washington took a 2-1 lead in the first with Turners leadoff triple and Murphys towering drive down the right-field line.Turner homered during a two-run third inning and scored his third run in the fifth on Reveres second triple.Papelbon was 2-4 with a 4.37 ERA and 19 saves this season. He labored in July and only pitched 2 2/3 innings after his final blown save on July 26. The Nationals acquired Melancon a few days later from Pittsburgh.THE NEW GUYRHP Jason Hursh made his major league debut in the sixth inning one day after day after he called up from Triple-A Gwinnett. The reliever allowed one run on three hits with one strikeout.WERTH STREAKINGJayson Werths sixth-inning single extended his on-base streak to 42-games. Werth owns the longest active streak in the majors and is one game behind Ryan Zimmermans club record of 43 set in 2009.TRAINERS ROOMBraves: Chris Withrow, on the DL since Aug. 8 with right elbow inflammation, had an MRI that showed no ligament damage. The right-hander will begin throwing Tuesday. ... The Braves recalled RHP Ryan Weber from Triple-A Gwinnett and optioned RHP Akeel Morris to Double-A Mississippi before the game.Nationals: Harper had an MRI for his lingering neck issue, general manager Mike Rizzo announced Saturday. It was clean, so thats good news, Rizzo said, adding there are no plans to place Harper on the DL for now. The 2015 NL MVP last played Aug. 6.UP NEXTBraves: RHP Tyrell Jenkins (2-2, 3.92 ERA) allowed only two runs in 18 innings over his last three starts.Nationals: RHP Tanner Roark (12-6, 2.88 ERA) is 4-1 with a 1.84 ERA in career starts against Atlanta. Buccaneers Jerseys Authentic China . The Swede became the first golfer to win the PGA Tours FedEx Cup and European Tours Race to Dubai in the same season. "It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said. Warren Sapp Jersey . The No. 1-ranked Nadal tweaked his back warming up for the Australian Open final, which he lost almost four weeks ago in a major upset against Stanislas Wawrinka. His first stop after the layoff is the clay in Rio as he tests the back and tries to stay healthy for the French Open in three months. http://www.cheapbuccaneersjerseysauthentic.com/ . Its the second straight game Bell has scored in extra time for Kelowna, which beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 6-5 on Friday, and he now has four game-winning goals on the season. Wholesale Buccaneers Jerseys . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. Cheap Buccaneers Jerseys Authentic . Hazard cut in from the left and scored with a swerving right-footed shot for ninth goal of the season, which proved to be enough for the victory despite Chelseas forwards again lacking a cutting edge up front. HOUSTON -- Jadeveon Clowney is ready to shine in prime time.The No. 1 pick in the 2014 draft failed to make an impact in his first two injury-plagued seasons . But now hes healthy, playing well and ready for a national audience Thursday when the Houston Texans visit a New England Patriots team that will likely start rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett.It will be just the second time Clowney has played in a nationally televised game after he sat out three of Houstons four night games in his first two years because of various injuries.When asked if hes ready to show what he can do, a big smile crept across his face and he let out a small laugh before gathering himself to provide an answer.Im very excited, he said. Im looking forward to it. Its going to be big for the team.A win would give the Texans a 3-0 start for the first time since they opened the 2012 season 5-0. Houston has been helped by an improved offense led by new quarterback Brock Osweiler and rookie receiver Will Fuller, but through the first two games the defense has been the strength of this team .Clowney has been a key to the units early success with seven tackles, including three for losses, a sack, five quarterback hits and a batted down pass. Hes doing a little bit of everything these days and the word coaches and teammates use most often to describe him is disruptive.In his first two seasons, Clowney lined up as an outside linebacker in defensive coordinator Romeo Crennels 3-4 scheme. Since Clowney was healthy throughout training camp, it has given the Texans more freedom to use the 6-foot-5, 266-pound player in different ways, and hes mostly played defensive end in the first two games.Regardless of where they put him, the Texans have been impressed with Clowneys hustle this year.I think hes playing really hard, coach Bill OBrien said. There are a few clips on there where he is rushing the passer, the pass gets off and hes chasing the ball carrier down. I think the guy is playing with tremendous effort and Ill say that about all the guys on defense.Clowney, who earned a reputation as a fierce pass rusher in a standout career at South Carolina, did not have a sack as a rookie but finished witth 4+ last year.dddddddddddd His first two seasons were full of disappointment for both him and the team as he played just four games in 2014 before having microfracture surgery, and missed three games and Houstons wild-card playoff loss to Kansas City last season due to a variety of other ailments.As he started to pile up more injuries than sacks, criticism that he wasnt living up to his draft status continued to grow. Clowney heard it all, but said he chose to ignore it. He knows that the injuries couldnt be helped and believes theres only one way to quiet his detractors.Im not saying nothing, he said. Im just going to keep letting my game speak and just keep getting better and better week by week.Clowneys improvement has added another dimension to a pass rush led by last years NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt and one that also features Whitney Mercilus, who had two sacks in Houstons opener. Watt is excited about the possibilities for this defense full of playmakers.You never know where the play is going to come from, it could be a linebacker, it could be a (defensive back), it could be a guy up front getting a sack, he said. Its a lot of fun when you play like that. I think it makes it difficult for other teams and thats the goal.As Clowney continues to progress, Watt is slowly returning to form after missing all of training camp and the preseason after July surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back. He started to feel good on the field again last week after struggling in Houstons opener. And it showed as he finished with 1 + sacks and recovered a fumble.But he has a message those who think hes back to full strength.I say partially, he said. Im still working on some things and I think it may be some things that only I see. But there are definitely some things that I want to continue to improve upon. But I have to admit it did feel good on Sunday to ... have some glimpses of my old self back. So I just want to continue that.---Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '