ATLANTA -- The Washington Nationals still have two games left against the Braves, but they already have more victories against Atlanta than any other team ever over a two-year period.

Max Scherzer beat Atlanta for the fourth time this season, rookie Trea Turner had four hits, including a two-run homer, and the Nationals improved to 29-7 against the Braves since 2015 with a 7-2 victory Friday night.

Scherzer (17-7) is making a case for another Cy Young Award and Turner might be one of the leaders for National League rookie of the year if he had been in the majors all season.

Scherzer, who has a 2.78 ERA, allowed seven hits and two runs over seven innings in winnings his fifth straight decision and improving to 4-0 against the Braves. The right-hander struck out eight and walked two, leaving after 104 pitches. His 259 strikeouts tops the majors.

Turner, though, was even more impressive as he continued to torment the Braves.

"We can't solve him, that's for sure," Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said.

Turner, hitting .462 in 11 games against the Braves, was 4-for-5 with his ninth homer, a double, two stolen bases and four runs scored. The 23-year-old's third four-hit outing raised his average to .349 in 58 games.

"Trea had his fingers all over it again," Scherzer said. "This guy can absolutely do everything. I've never seen anybody with this much speed and power from that (slight) frame. He impacts the game is so many different ways. We're asking him to play center field off and he's excelling at that.

"He's playing like somebody who's got 10 years in the big leagues and yet he's a rookie who has only been up here for a little bit. He's off and running, literally and figuratively."

How impressive was Turner? Since 1913, only 13 players have had games with four hits, a homer, four runs scored and two stolen bases.

"I didn't know what to expect," manager Dusty Baker said of Turner. "Hey man, we just keep accepting it. Keep it coming. ... As he goes, we go."

With the victory, the Nationals (88-59) maintained their 10-game lead over the New York Mets in the National League East and reduced their magic number for clinching six.

Trying to avoid a 100-loss season, the Braves (56-91) have lost nine of the past 10 games to the Nationals and are 2-15 against them this year.

Braves starter John Gant (1-4) could get just five outs and one was a sacrifice bunt. The rookie right-hander allowed five runs while giving up six hits and walking three, with 27 of his 56 pitches missing the strike zone.

Anthony Rendon drove in the two first-inning runs for the Nationals with a single, and Turner homered with a man on in the three-run third. Daniel Murphy's double, which extended his hitting streak to 13 games, concluded the onslaught against Gant.

"That's asking a lot," Snitker said of trying to come back from an early hole against a pitcher like Scherzer. "He's one of those guys who knows what he's doing. When he gets in trouble, that velocity sparks, and it's tough."

Atlanta's Matt Kemp doubled leading off the second for his 1,500th career hit, and Tyler Flowers followed with a single to give the Braves an early run against Scherzer.

Flowers' sacrifice fly in the sixth inning briefly drew the Braves within three runs, but Murphy delivered a sacrifice fly in the seventh to score Turner, who stole second and third bases after a leadoff single.

Ryan Weber worked 4 2/3 innings in relief for the Braves, allowing two hits and a run while striking out five -- all in a row.

Jayson Werth followed a double by Turner with his third hit to drive in the Nationals' final run in the ninth inning.

Murphy, leading the National League batting race with a .349 average, was 2-for-4 and also made two run-saving plays defensive at second base.

NOTES: Manager Dusty Baker was back with the Nationals after missing Wednesday's victory over the New York Mets to attend a family funeral in California. ... 1B Freddie Freeman was away from the Braves to be with his wife, who gave birth to the couple's first child on Thursday. ... Braves RHP Jose Ramirez is appealing his three-game suspension and undisclosed fine for throwing near the head of Marlins starter Jose Fernandez in the seventh inning on Wednesday, causing both dugouts to empty. ... OF Mallex Smith, out since breaking his left thumb on June 19, was activated from the 60-day disabled list by the Braves and had a single as a pinch hitter. ... 2B Jace Peterson was a late scratch from the Braves' lineup because of a sprained left ankle. ... LHP Gio Gonzalez (11-9, 4.27 ERA) will start for the Nationals in the middle game of the series on Saturday against RHP Josh Collmentor (1-0, 4.84 ERA), who will make his Braves debut. ... The Braves' Class A advanced farm team next year will be in the Florida State League at Kissimmee rather than in the Carolina League.