Vorschau » their division lead over the Braves to 1 1/2

WASHINGTON -- Tanner Roark won his fourth straight start, Denard Span had an RBI double and the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 Sunday for a split of the four-game series between NL East rivals. Span, Danny Espinosa and Adam LaRoche had two hits apiece as Washington won the final two games of the series. The Nationals improved to 3-7 against Atlanta. They increased their division lead over the Braves to 1 1/2 games. Roark (7-4) went 5 1-3 innings, allowing a run and four hits. Craig Stammen came on to end a sixth-inning Braves rally, and Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth for his 17th save. Washington relievers retired all 11 batters they faced. Freddie Freeman had two hits for Atlanta. Evan Gattis went 0 for 3 to snap his 20-game hitting streak. Ervin Santana (5-5) went six innings, giving up three runs and six hits. He walked one and struck out nine. Atlantas Chris Johnson was ejected for arguing a checked-swing call in the sixth. Teammate Justin Upton was ejected for arguing after a swinging strikeout in the ninth. With Washington leading 3-0, the first two Braves reached against Roark in the sixth. Manager Matt Williams visited the mound but left Roark in to face Jason Heyward. Roark got Heyward on a fly to right, but Justin Upton singled home Freddie Freeman to make 3-1. Stammen came on to pitch to Johnson, who attempted to check his swing on a 1-2 pitch. Nationals catcher Sandy Leon appealed the ball call, and first base umpire Tim Welke ruled Johnson had gone around for strike three. Johnson immediately began yelling and gesturing at Welke and was ejected by home plate umpire Mark Carlson. Stammen retired Andrelton Simmons to end the inning. Anthony Rendon made it 4-1 when he doubled in the eighth, went to third on a ground out and scored on Luis Avilans wild pitch. Washington got to Santana in the first, getting and RBI single from LaRoche that deflected off diving shortstop Simmons glove. Ryan Zimmerman had a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0. Atlanta threatened in the third. With one out, LaRoche misplayed Freemans grounder down the first base line for a two-base error. But Roark got Gattis on a grounder to third, and, after Heyward walked, Justin Upton hit into a fielders choice. The Nationals made it 3-0 the fifth. Sandy Leon opened with a single and Roark sacrificed him to second. Span then lined a double to left, scoring Leon. Span is 6 for his last 11 against Santana. NOTES: Nationals C Wilson Ramos (left hamstring strain) went 1 for 3 with a homer and three RBIs in his first rehab game with Double-A Harrisburg Saturday night. Hes expected to rejoin the Nationals this week. . Freeman began the day as one of only three NL players to start all of their teams games, along with Starlin Castro (Cubs) and Hunter Pence (Giants). . Atlanta is off Monday before opening a 3-game series Tuesday in Houston. . Gio Gonzalez (3-4, 4.85) opposes Matt Garza (4-4, 4.02) Monday when Washington opens a 3-game series at Milwaukee. Dave Schultz Flyers Jersey . Its the second time this season that Milan has been sanctioned by the league judge, after fans also subjected Napoli supporters to discriminatory chants. The ban will come into effect for Milans next match, against Udinese on Oct. Claude Giroux Flyers Jersey . 5 Trade Deadline isnt that far away and teams will be making decisions on whether to buy, sell and decide which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. http://www.flyersteamstoreonline.com/authentic-robert-hagg-flyers-jersey/ . I kept my eyes focused up on the camera during each approach. I just tried to stay focused on my form, as I didnt know what the ball reaction was. I was quite emotional at the end. I did not actually see any of the shots in the game until I got home and watched the video. Bill Barber Flyers Jersey . Francis told several hundred members of the European Olympic Committees that when sport "is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost . Claude Giroux Jersey . - After three days of light, make that very light, workouts, Team Irvin and Team Carter are ready for tonights Pro Bowl. SOUTHAMPTON, England -- Everton self-destructed in its quest for a Champions League spot, scoring two own goals in a 2-0 loss to Southampton on Saturday that seriously dents the teams chances of finishing in the top four in the Premier League. Antolin Alcaraz headed into his own net in the opening minute, and Seamus Coleman repeated the feat in the 31st as Everton missed a chance to provisionally move above Arsenal into fourth place. Arsenal remained one point in front ahead of its home game against Newcastle on Monday, after which both teams will only have two matches remaining. Romelu Lukaku missed two good scoring chances for Everton in the first half and Leon Osman appealed for a penalty in the 62nd minute but was booked for diving instead. Southampton is lodged firmly in eighhth place and now has its best ever Premier League tally of 52 points.dddddddddddd Everton was coming off a 2-0 win over Manchester United last weekend, but went behind after just 53 seconds when Alcaraz dived to clear a cross from Rickie Lambert but sent his header past goalkeeper Tim Howard instead. Coleman fed Lukaku with a cross shortly afterward, but the Belgium striker only managed a poor shot off target. Southampton doubled its lead when Nathaniel Clyne sent in a cross that found its way to an unsighted Coleman, who reacted late and only managed to divert the ball into his own net. Lukaku missed a close-range header as Everton pushed forward, but the visitors never came close to a comeback -- and now find themselves a lot farther from the Champions League. ' ' '