ATLANTA(AP) -- The Washington Nationals are playing as if they
were contenders the last week of the season, not the team that
has the worst record in the majors.

Justin Maxwell hit a two-out, two-run homer in the 11th inning
and the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 6-4
Saturday for their sixth straight victory.

The Nationals still have a dismal record at 58-103, but have
beaten the Braves, who have lost five in a row, three
consecutive times.

Maxwell hit a game-ending grand slam off the Mets' Francisco
Rodriguez in the bottom of the ninth inning of a 7-4 win over
New York on Wednesday.

"He's making some strikes. It's like he's kind of found
something," Washington manager Jim Riggleman said of Maxwell,
who is hitting over .300 since his recall on Aug. 30 from
Syracuse.

After both teams scored two runs in the 10th, Pete Orr singled
with one out in the top of the 11th and moved up on a sacrifice.
Maxwell followed with his fourth homer, a drive over the
right-field fence against Manny Acosta (1-1).

"Jim told me after Orr's hit that he was going to sacrifice and
just wanted me to drive him in. To just look for a pitch and hit
it and I got one," Maxwell said.

"I'm just trying to do my job. Not do too much. Just put the
ball in play. It felt good. This game is all about confidence.
There's nothing to think about when you're in the box. Just hit
the ball," he said.

Zack Segovia (1-0) earned his first win despite giving up two
runs in the 10th. Atlanta tied it at 4 on an RBI double by
pinch-hitter Kelly Johnson and run-scoring single by
pinch-hitter Greg Norton.

Logan Kensing got his first save of the season with a scoreless
11th.

Pinch-hitter Christian Guzman hit a two-out, two-run double in
the 10th that put Washington ahead 4-2.

The Braves had won 15 of 17 to get within two games of Colorado
in the wild-card chase on Monday before the latest losing
streak.

"It just stinks, but when you're out of it, you're out of it,"
Atlanta first baseman Adam LaRoche said.

"Second place is nice, but you're not playing for the prize we
wanted," he said. "There's no excuse not to go out and still get
the job done."

Atlanta reliever Peter Moylan got the first two outs in the 10th
before Ryan Zimmerman doubled. Adam Dunn was intentionally
walked before Guzman doubled over the head of right fielder Omar
Infante.

The Nationals had taken a 2-0 lead on a first-inning RBI single
by Zimmerman and a solo home run by rookie Ian Desmond in the
fourth off Jair Jurrjens.

The Braves tied it at 2 on a two-out, two-run single by Brian
McCann off Ron Villone in the sixth.

Jurrjens went eight innings, gave up five hits and struck out
nine. Washington starter Ross Detwiler went five innings and
allowed one hit, a bunt single to Nate McLouth leading off the
game.

NOTES: Atlanta OF Matt Diaz's season ended when he had a cyst
removed from his infected right thumb after Friday night's game.
... Washington OF Willie Harris left the game in the fifth
inning with a strained right oblique. ... The Nationals are 4-0
when Desmond homers. ... Jurrjens has allowed 2 earned runs or
fewer in 26 of his 34 starts.