WASHINGTON -- Every day brings a different kind of drama for Washington right fielder Bryce Harper, who has six home runs and 12 RBIs in the last three games.

"I have no idea how to explain it," Harper said after the third installment in the week of suspense.

The latest heroics came late Saturday afternoon as he crushed a two-run homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning against reliever Cody Martin to give the Nationals an 8-6 win over the Atlanta Braves.

Harper's blast to right center on a 1-0 pitch also scored third baseman Yunel Escobar, who led off with a single and stayed at first after left fielder Jayson Werth struck out.

The Nationals (16-15) are above .500 for the first time this year as they won for the ninth time in 11 games. Washington has won four series in a row.

"We are an unbelievable team. We have a lot of great guys around me. It is fun," Harper said. "That is the family we have in here. I love this team."

It was the third walk-off homer in Harper's four seasons in Washington and the first since Aug. 7, 2014.

"He ain't missing too many pitches," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

But his goals go beyond his ability in the batter's box.

"I'm trying to be the best right fielder in the game, plain and simple," Harper said.

With that in mind, he also helped the Nationals with his glove with seven putouts. The best came in the seventh as robbed fellow right fielder Nick Markakis with a catch near the warning track to end the inning.

Harper had three home runs Wednesday against the Miami Marlins and two on Friday against the Braves. He now has 11 homers and 27 RBIs and is hitting .292.

"That guy comes through with some big hits," Nationals starter Doug Fister said.

The Nationals had a chance to take the lead in the eighth, but pinch-runner Michael A. Taylor was thrown out at home by Atlanta left fielder Kelly Johnson on a single by pinch-hitter Dan Uggla, a former Brave.

Atlanta had tied the score at 6 with three runs in the eighth. Second baseman Jace Peterson, starting on his 25th birthday, drove in a run with a groundout with the bases loaded against reliever Tanner Roark, and catcher Christian Bethancourt followed with a two-run double. Bethancourt was 2-for-4.

Atlanta (14-16) has lost 11 of 16 to Washington since June 21, 2014, and the last four.

The Nationals scored three runs in the second inning as catcher Jose Lobaton hit a two-run homer after a one-out single by shortstop Ian Desmond.

"He got a big home run," Gonzalez said of Lobaton.

Later in the inning, Escobar had an RBI single to score second baseman Danny Espinosa, who had doubled.

Lobaton was 3-for-4, Escobar was 2-for-5 and Harper went 2-for-4.

Fister, who gave up three runs in 6 2/3 innings, did not allow a hit until third baseman Alberto Callaspo had a bloop single to left to lead off the fifth. Center fielder Cameron Maybin doubled down the left-field line with two outs to drive in Callaspo and cut the deficit to 3-1.

First baseman Ryan Zimmerman gave the Nationals a 6-1 lead in the fifth when he hit a three-run homer just over the fence in left. It was the third homer of the season for Zimmerman -- his first since April 14.

The Braves trimmed the deficit to 6-3 in the seventh as Fister gave up a two-run, pinch-double to Pedro Ciriaco. The Nationals then brought in lefty Matt Thornton, who retired Markakis on the liner to Harper.

Atlanta starter Julio Teheran, in his 10th career start against the Nationals, gave up six earned runs and 10 hits in five innings, with six strikeouts, three walks and two homers allowed.

The winning pitcher was Drew Storen (1-0), who worked a scoreless ninth, and Martin (1-1) took the loss.

"We battled. I am really proud of our offense," Gonzalez said. "We had a chance to win the ballgame, but we didn't. I am proud of those guys in there today."

NOTES: Braves LHP Alex Wood (1-2, 4.32 ERA) will face Washington RHP Jordan Zimmermann (2-2, 4.15 ERA) in the series finale on Sunday ... Nationals RF Bryce Harper, who hit five homers in his previous two games, entered Saturday with 25 RBIs in 102 at-bats this year. That was the same total as LF Jayson Werth and 1B Ryan Zimmerman had in their 195 combined at-bats. Harper has started all 31 games this year. Last year, he played in 100 games and hit 13 homers. ... Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, the first manager of the Nationals in 2005, was honored before the game.