WASHINGTON -- After Bryce Harper provided Washington with a first-inning lead, the Nationals spent the rest of the game holding off the worst team in the National League. Harper hit a three-run homer to back an effective pitching performance by Gio Gonzalez, and the Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 3-2 on Thursday night to keep alive their slim hope of reaching the playoffs. Despite winning 11 of 13 in a belated run, the Nationals trail Cincinnati by five games for the final NL wild-card slot with nine games remaining. Washington needed every bit of mettle it could muster to win this one. Gonzalez (11-7) worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the third and spied a runner trying to steal third in the sixth. Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard each worked a harrowing scoreless inning before Rafael Soriano got three outs, stranding two runners in earning his 42nd save. "I mean, everybody was out there. Gave me a heart attack. Check my pulse," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said. "Gio took it right to the edge, Storen to the edge, Clip and Sori topped it off. But its nice to come out on top." Denard Span went 0 for 4 for Washington, ending his hitting streak at 29 games -- one short of the Nationals record. He was bidding to become the 27th player to have a 30-game hitting streak since Joe DiMaggio had his 56-game run in 1941. Span received a standing ovation from many in the crowd of 25,945 after he struck out in the seventh, his final at-bat. Although the streak is done, Span expressed no regret. "It was unbelievable," he said. "It was like a roller-coaster, especially these last 10 days or so. It was a lot of fun. It gave me added motivation, to come to the field to try to extend it." Gonzalez allowed two runs and seven hits over six innings to improve to 3-0 against Miami this season. He struck out three, lifting his team-high total to 186. "The good news is we got the win," Gonzalez said. "Its a very important win." Harpers 20th homer of the season came off Henderson Alvarez (4-5) and turned out to be all the offence the Nationals needed to improve to 12-4 against Miami, including 7-0 at home. "I like being in those pressure situations, crucial situations of playing for the wild card," Harper said. "All year long you try to play for the playoffs and try to go to the next round. Now its getting to that point where were turning it on and playing the game how we should have played it all year." Ed Lucas had three hits for the Marlins, who must go 7-2 in their last nine games to avoid 100 losses. Miami went 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10. "I think thats good were getting guys in scoring position, but at the same time weve got to do a better job of driving those guys in," manager Mike Redmond said. "We seem to have two or three, four opportunities a night and cant capitalize on them and really that ends up being the difference." Miami went up 1-0 when Donovan Solano opened the game with a double and Lucas followed with an RBI single. In the bottom half, Ryan Zimmerman hit the first of his three singles and Jayson Werth walked before Harper drove a hanging curveball over the wall in centre field. It was his first home run since Aug. 29. The Marlins loaded the bases with two outs in the third before Placido Polanco flied out. Successive doubles by Giancarlo Stanton and Justin Ruggiano got Miami within 3-2 in the sixth, but Gonzalez nabbed Ruggiano trying to steal third, short-circuiting the uprising. "I say jokingly, I set him up," Gonzalez said. "Im glad I got out of that inning." NOTES: Jordan Zimmermann seeks his 19th win for Washington on Friday night. Miami starter Jacob Turner (3-7) will attempt to break a six-game losing streak. ... The Nationals acquired minor league pitcher Matthew Spann as the player to be named in the Aug. 23 trade that sent OF David DeJesus to Tampa Bay. Spann is 14-10 with a 3.03 ERA in four pro seasons. ... Johnson expects RHP Stephen Strasburg to start Saturday. Strasburg felt forearm tightness while throwing Wednesday and was scratched from his scheduled start Thursday. ... Both teams received a warning from home plate umpire Bill Welke after Alvarez hit Ian Desmond with a 3-0 pitch in the first inning. Johnson said Alvarez should have been ejected. ... The Nationals are 28-11 since Aug. 8. Cheap Jerseys . Teixeira, president of the Brazilian football federation, has recently been making changes to how the sport is governed and a Brazilian newspaper said he would leave the presidency of the organizing committee to make way for Ronaldo. cheapauthenticjerseys . According to the Hosuton Chronicle, Ching has decided to report to the Impact, the team that selected him first overall in the MLS expansion draft. http://www.cheapauthenticjerseys.us.com/nike-nfl-jerseys-china_seattle-seahawks-jersey-china/ . Luke Wileman and I stood in the corridor outside of the Vancouver Whitecaps dressing room at BC Place in Vancouver. Jerseys Cheap . The 18-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ont., defeated the world No. 75-ranked Begu 6-4, 6-4 in the final round of qualifying. Its the first time Zhao has reached the Rogers Cup main draw, where she will play Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the first round. http://www.cheapauthenticjerseys.us.com/nhl-jerseys-china_chicago-blackhawks-jersey-china/ . -- Kawhi Leonard had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and second-seeded San Diego State survived Devon Beitzels scoring burst to win its first NCAA tournament game, 68-50 over Northern Colorado on Thursday.ATLANTA -- Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday with bursitis in his left knee. The Nationals tried to give Harper time to heal without using the disabled list. Manager Davey Johnson said the move became necessary when the team needed help in the bullpen before Saturday nights game against the Braves. Johnson also said the team decided it was necessary to protect Harpers status for the season. "You always do whats best for the player," Johnson said. "If the club felt that he would be able to come back in three or four or five days, we wouldnt have DLd him." Harper has missed the last five games and has been bothered by the knee since he crashed into the wall in a May 13 game at the Los Angeles Dodgers. The move was made Saturday retroactive to May 27. The Nationals already are without outfielder Jayson Werth, who has been on the disabled list since May 3 with a right hamstring injury. The team is off Monday and Werth could return Tuesday when Washington opens a home series against the Mets. The 20-year-old star is batting .287 and is tied for fifth in the NL with 12 homers. He has 23 RBIs and two stolen bases. &"I think, in talking to Bryce, weve got to get by this where its not a recurring thing," Johnson said.dddddddddddd "Hes not going out there playing 80 per cent. His legs are just as big a part of his game. Taking that extra base, running hard. I dont want to take a chance of him getting injured further." Johnson said Harper probably aggravated the injury with his aggressive play. "You dont know how bad the injuries were," Johnson said. "He felt pretty good the next day. He had some bruises but he didnt have any swelling. When he went back to paying, he dove for a ball, then slid head-first. I think it was probably a sensitive area and he exacerbated it by pounding on it more. He felt good enough that he wanted to play and he knows his body better than anybody." Harper was with the team but did not speak with reporters before Saturday nights game. The Nationals recalled right-hander Erik Davis from Triple-A Syracuse. The team needed bullpen depth after starter Stephen Strasburg lasted only two innings on Friday night due to a strained right side. Davis was 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA and seven saves at Syracuse. He has no major league experience. cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '