Simmons Error Lifts Nats over Braves 6-5

WASHINGTON (AP) – Shortstop Andrelton Simmons allowed Denard Span’s grounder to bounce through his legs for a game-ending, two-run error, lifting the Washington Nationals over the Atlanta Braves 6-5 Tuesday in the makeup on a series opener postponed by a shooting rampage a day earlier at the nearby Navy Yard.

Pinch-hitter Chad Tracy had an RBI grounder against Craig Kimbrell in the three-run ninth as Washington kept Atlanta’s magic number at four for clinching the NL East for the first time since the Braves’ streak of 11 consecutive division titles from 1995-05. A sweep of the day-night doubleheader would have sealed the division for Atlanta.

Washington closed within 4½ games of Cincinnati for the NL’s second wild-card berth with 12 games remaining.