Is there any reason to think the Mets can avoid another late-season choke? Kevin Kernan thinks so. 

Elijah Dukes hit a three-run double in the 14th inning and the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 7-4 on Sunday. 

Elijah Dukes hit a three-run double in the 14th inning and the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 7-4 on Sunday. 

Elijah Dukes hit a three-run double in the 14th inning and the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 7-4 on Sunday. 

For one game at least, the Washington Nationals had some offense as opposed to being offensive. 

After Atlanta's biggest hit of the game took an unlucky bounce for the Braves, the Nationals went back to their home-run derby. 

After Atlanta's biggest hit of the game took an unlucky bounce for the Braves, the Nationals went back to their home-run derby. 

After Atlanta's biggest hit of the game took an unlucky bounce for the Braves, the Nationals went back to their home-run derby. 

--3B Chipper Jones went 0-for-3 with a walk, snapping his 10-game hitting streak. 

MEDICAL WATCH: SS Yunel Escobar (sore left shoulder) aggravated the injury Sept. 

He said afterwards that the plate felt 54 feet away instead of 60, and the ball felt larger, but right-hander James Parr wowed manager Bobby Cox and his new teammates with his six-inning, two-hit shutout performance Thursday against the Nationals. 

Three-game winning streaks used to be commonplace for the Atlanta Braves, but they've only managed to record two of them in just over three months. 

The Atlanta Braves dropped out of the pennant race so long ago that Kelly Johnson has grown numb to losing. 

Top two-start pitchers of the week 

MEDICAL WATCH: 3B Chipper Jones (sore right knee) was scratched from the lineup Sept.