Major League Baseball

Braves survive Nationals' fierce rally in 9th

Published Jul. 4, 2009 5:42 a.m. ET

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Brooks Conrad made quite a first impression, keeping the Atlanta Braves' winning streak and pursuit of the NL East lead in tact.

Conrad hit a pinch-hit, go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning and the Braves beat the Washington Nationals 9-8 on Friday night for their season-high fifth straight victory.

"(Conrad) couldn't have had a better debut with this organization, that's for sure," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "He was a good asset and won us the game tonight, probably."