WASHINGTON -- The first-place Washington Nationals played deep into the summer night again Friday.

But this time their fans left Nationals Park without a sour taste in their mouth or venom in their words.

Washington scored three runs in the last of the ninth to tie the game and then hit machine Daniel Murphy lined a single over the head of the left fielder for a walk-off RBI with one out in the 10th as the Nationals beat the second-place Atlanta Braves 5-4.

The seventh walk-off win of the year came one night after the Nationals lost to the Braves in a game that began after a non-rain delay of more than three hours. That game ended around 1:20 a.m. Friday morning.

"I was trying to go up the middle," Murphy said of his winning hit Friday night. "I was able to stay on it."

The rally in the 10th was started by Adrian Sanchez, who singled up the middle for his first major league hit one week after making it to The Show for the first time. Sanchez went to third on a single to right by Ryan Zimmerman off former teammate Ian Krol.

"I had literally no clue what he would throw me," Zimmerman said.

Sanchez, who had singled in his sixth career at-bat, then scored on the hit by Murphy that would have been deep enough for a sacrifice fly if need be.

"At first it didn't cross my mind. All I wanted to do was to find a way to get on base," Sanchez said of his first major league hit, via translator Octavio Martinez.

The loss was a bitter one for Atlanta manager Brian Snitker, who watched closer Jim Johnson give up three runs in the ninth.

Snitker wasn't around for the ending as he was ejected after he thought Washington catcher Matt Wieters swung at a pitch during the ninth-inning rally. Wieters later drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly.

"Those things happen. You hate it when it does," Snitker said of the late loss. "A lot of really good things (happened). We had our chances; we came right back (in the top of the 10th) with a runner on second and couldn't get it done."

Will Snitker look at the replay of the non-strike call to Wieters?

"I don't think I even need to," said Snitker, who was ejected by third-base umpire and crew chief Mike Everitt.

The winning pitcher was Matt Albers (5-1), who got a double play in the top of the 10th inning, while former Washington lefty Krol (1-2) was saddled with the loss.

Murphy and Anthony Rendon had RBI singles before Wieters drove in the tying run with his sacrifice fly.

Freddie Freeman went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs for the Braves.

Freeman led off the seventh with a homer against Max Scherzer as the Braves took a 2-1 lead. Scherzer was replaced in the eighth by lefty Oliver Perez, who yielded a two-run single to Freeman as Atlanta assumed a 4-1 advantage.

Scherzer, the potential All-Star Game starter, gave up four runs in 7 2/3 innings with 10 strikeouts while throwing 120 pitches. He now has 60 games of at least 10 strikeouts in his career.

Atlanta starter R.A. Dickey lost his no-hit bid as Stephen Drew led off the sixth with a double and then scored on a single by Wieters to make it 1-1. Dickey went seven innings and allowed the one run on three hits with seven strikeouts.

Matt Adams had two doubles and Brandon Phillips was 2-for-4 for Atlanta. The first-place Nationals are 51-35 while the second-place Braves are 41-44.

The Braves finally broke through Friday as Ender Inciarte led off the fourth inning with a double. He scored on a single by Phillips that grazed the glove of Murphy.

Scherzer entered the contest with at least 10 strikeouts in seven of his last eight games.

Dickey had allowed just two runs in his previous three starts after giving up eight in five innings on June 13 at Washington. He was in line for the win before Johnson faltered.

"I have no problems with him," Snitker said of Johnson. "He has saved a lot of games. He has been a workhorse. We are fighting to get to .500. That is a good ballclub over there. We will be back tomorrow."

NOTES: Atlanta OF Danny Santana (possible calf infection) was sent to Atlanta due to fears of being contagious, according to manager Brian Snitker. INF-OF Jace Peterson was slated to arrive after the game started for Atlanta, coming from Triple-A Gwinnett. ... The Nationals put OF Michael A. Taylor (mild right oblique strain) on the disabled list and brought back OF Chris Heisey, who had been on the disabled list with a right biceps rupture and was a late defensive replacement. ... Washington RHP Stephen Strasburg (9-2, 3.28) will face Atlanta RHP Julio Teheran (6-6, 5.14) on Saturday. ... The Nationals signed LHP Seth Romero, their first-round pick in June. He had pitched for the University of Houston this year before he was dismissed from the team. ... Washington has yet to be shut out this year.