Nationals 5, Braves 4: Michael Morse went 4-for-4 and blasted a tie-breaking homer in the eighth as visiting Washington won the opening game of a weekend series.

The Nationals blew a 4-0 lead, but nonetheless extended their lead on Atlanta in the NL East to 4 1/2 games. Washington finished with 15 hits, improving to 4-0 at Turner Field on the season.

After the Braves scored four times in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game, Morse greeted Atlanta reliever Chad Durbin (3-1) by belting the first pitch of the eighth into the right-field seats for his third homer.

Washington reliever Sean Burnett (1-1) earned the victory in relief. Starter Ross Detwiler allowed five hits and four runs in 6 2/3 innings, but things fell apart in the seventh with the Nationals leading 4-0.

Pinch hitter Martin Prado singled home Freddie Freeman, and Michael Bourn’s sacrifice fly plated Jack Wilson to cut Atlanta’s deficit to 4-2. Andrelton Simmons then tied the game at 4-4 with his third homer of the season, a two-run shot to left.

Detwiler singled home Morse in the second to give Washington a 1-0 lead. The Nationals took advantage of two Atlanta errors in the third, and Ian Desmond drove in Adam LaRoche and Morse with a single to left to make it 3-0.

Jesus Flores hit his third homer of the season in the fourth, a solo shot to push Washington’s lead to 4-0.

Atlanta starter Randall Delgado struggled, allowing seven hits and four runs (two earned) with three strikeouts.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Washington closer Tyler Clippard pitched the ninth for his 13th save. ... First-pitch temperature at Turner Field was 101 degrees. … Atlanta 2B Dan Uggla, mired in a month-long slump, did not start Friday for the first time all season. … Washington won for the third time in four games.