Washington, DC -- (Sports Network) - Scott Olsen came within one out of logging a complete game, as Washington took a 5-3 victory and two of three from an Atlanta club that was riding a season-high five-game win streak before dropping the last two.

Olsen (2-4) worked 8 2/3 innings but was touched for a two-run homer in the ninth and allowed three runs overall on eight hits. The lefty walked five, struck out five and collected and RBI hit, winning for the first time since picking up his only other victory of the year on April 29 at Philadelphia.

"I wanted to give him an opportunity to do that (complete the game)," Nationals manager Manny Acta said of Olsen. "(He's) not a rookie anymore, (he's) allowed to work himself out of trouble.

Mike MacDougal got the final out for his fifth save of the year while Ronnie Belliard scored three runs, had two hits, an RBI and walked. Nyjer Morgan was 3-for-5 with an RBI.

The Nationals snapped a four-game slide with Saturday's win and won consecutive games for just the fifth time this season.

Derek Lowe (7-7) continued his struggles for Atlanta, surrendering 10 hits and four runs in just 5 1/3 frames. The right-hander was winless in four June starts and has now given up 43 hits and 24 runs in his last 23 innings.

"The main thing is high pitch counts and a ton of hits, that's the most disappointing thing," said Lowe. "You got to keep fighting. I look forward to the break -- I can tell you that."

Martin Prado was 4-for-4 and Nate McLouth ended with two hits and clubbed the ninth-inning home run off Olsen.

"Let's give Olsen credit today. That's about as good as I've ever seen him -- in control, threw a ton of strikes and made good pitches," Braves skipper Bobby Cox said.

Ryan Zimmerman, named to the NL All-Star squad as a reserve on Sunday, started things off with an RBI single in the first and the Nats added two more in the second during a two-out rally. Belliard roped a double to center that scored Cristian Guzman and Olsen followed with an RBI single to left.

Atlanta got one back in the third but wasted an opportunity for more. McLouth singled and Prado doubled with one out. Chipper Jones hit a sac fly to center, but Brian McCann, named as Atlanta's lone All-Star representative, lined out to end the inning.

Lowe loaded the bases with one out before exiting in the sixth. Boone Logan came on and retired the next batter but Nick Johnson made it 4-1 Nats with an RBI single to left. Washington added an insurance run in the eighth off Kris Medlen as Morgan doubled home Belliard.

Olsen recorded two outs in the ninth following a leadoff double by Matt Diaz, but McLouth smacked a two-run shot into the right field bleachers and MacDougal was called upon for the final out.

Game Notes

Atlanta has won five of its nine matchups with the Nats this season..Olsen was 2-for-3 while Guzman also had two hits...The Braves head out for a seven- game road trip starting Monday in Chicago...The Nationals also hit the road for the next seven games beginning Monday in Colorado.