Nationals 7, Braves 4: Clutch two-out hitting sparked Washington in the series opener at Turner Field, extending the Nationals’ NL East lead to two games over Atlanta.

Washington scored all seven runs with two outs, touching Atlanta starter Tim Hudson (3-2) for four runs in the first. After Atlanta cut the lead to 4-3, Washington added three runs in the seventh.

With two out and nobody on in the seventh, Hudson walked Washington reliever Chien-Ming Wang. After a Steve Lombardozzi double and a Bryce Harper walk, Ryan Zimmerman lined a three-run double to center on a 3-2 pitch to push the Washington lead to 7-3.

Ian Desmond’s first-inning single to center scored Harper and Zimmerman to put the Nationals ahead 2-0. After Hudson hit Danny Espinosa with a pitch, Rick Ankiel lined a triple to left-center, scoring Desmond and Espinosa to make it 4-0.

Matt Diaz’s two-out single to left scored Martin Prado with Atlanta’s first run in the third. The Braves cut the Washington lead to 4-3 with two runs in the fifth. Diaz greeted Wang (1-0) with a double to right-center, scoring Prado and Dan Uggla.

Hudson allowed eight hits and seven runs in 6 2/3 innings. Prado finished 3-for-5 and Diaz drove in three runs for the Braves, who have lost six of their past seven. Jason Heyward hit his sixth homer of the season in the eighth.

Tyler Clippard pitched the ninth for his second save.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Nationals starter Ross Detwiler gave up five hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings. … Atlanta catcher David Ross left the game in the second inning with a groin injury. Brian McCann, who has missed time this week with the flu, entered the game as a pinch-runner. … Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones (leg bruise) did not start for the seventh consecutive game.