WASHINGTON - Aaron Harang outdueled Stephen Strasburg, Justin Upton drove in three runs and the Atlanta Braves avoided a series sweep in Washington with a 6-2 win over the Nationals on Wednesday. The Braves snapped a three-game losing streak as Harang (11-10) held the NL East leaders to one unearned run over seven innings. Uptons RBI single in the sixth broke a 1-all tie, and he added a two-run double off reliever Ryan Mattheus during a three-run seventh. Strasburg (11-11) allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings. Bryce Harper homered for Washington, which had won three straight. B.J. Upton homered for the wild card-contending Braves. Washington leads Atlanta by eight games in the division. Washington won the opening two games of the series, and success against Atlanta has been historically difficult for the Nationals and Strasburg. The Nationals dropped to 6-10 this season against the Braves, though they had won five of the previous seven games. They have not swept Atlanta in Washington since 2008. Strasburg has not earned a win against the Braves since Aug. 21, 2012. In four starts this season against Atlanta, the righty is 0-2 with a 7.18 ERA. The NL strikeout leader fanned eight, but lost for the first time since August 8. Strasburg entered with a 3-0 record in his previous five starts. Harang struggled recently, going 0-3 with a 7.98 ERA in his last three starts. That version didnt show Wednesday. He struck out nine and surrendered six while improving to 2-0 with an 0.90 ERA versus Washington this season. Kevin Frandsen had three singles for the Nationals. TRAINERS ROOM Braves: C Evan Gattis (strep throat) returned to the locker room after spending the previous two days at the teams hotel. Manager Fredi Gonzalez kept him out of Wednesdays lineup and said Gattis will likely serve as Atlantas designated hitter for the upcoming series in Texas. Nationals: 3B Anthony Rendon (illness) and SS Ian Desmond (back tightness) were kept out of the starting lineup. Desmond left Tuesdays game after five innings with back tightness. Nationals manager Matt Williams said the shortstop could have played Wednesday. UP NEXT Braves: LHP Alex Wood (10-10, 2.90) starts Friday against the Rangers. Nationals: Tanner Roark (12-10, 2.97) faces Bartolo Colon (13-11, 3.96) on Thursday as the Nationals begin a four-game series at the New York Mets. Vapormax 2020 Clearance .C. -- The Bobcats announced theyve signed centre Justin Hamilton to a 10-day contract. Nike Air Vapormax Navy+Multi-Color . A quick first step to get to the hoop for a layup. A rousing dunk on the break off a high outlet pass saved by teammate Ramon Sessions. http://www.clearancevapormax.com/ . Mitchell first announced on Twitter that he has signed with the Steelers and his agent Brian Hamilton confirmed the signing to The Associated Press. Financial terms were not released. The Steelers have not announced the addition of Mitchell. Cheap Off White Vapormax China . Calgarys Bo Levi Mitchell and Montreals Troy Smith will be the starting quarterbacks in a CFL season-opener for the first time in their careers. Both want to reinforce their No. 1 status. You can watch the game live in the first half of a doubleheader on TSN and TSN GO at 3:00pm et/Noon pt. Fake Off White Vapormax . Appearing on TSN 1050 on Tuesday, Sean McAdam of Comcast SportsNet New England reported that the Blue Jays, along with a number of other playoff contenders were in the mix for the Boston ace.(SportsNetwork.com) - The red-hot Toronto Maple Leafs will aim for their seventh win in eight games to begin the season when they host the Carolina Hurricanes in Thursdays battle at Air Canada Centre.The Maple Leafs currently are on their second three-game winning streak of the season, having opened the campaign with three straight victories before suffering their only loss on Oct. 8 against Colorado. Toronto has beaten Nashville, Edmonton and Minnesota since that home loss to the Avalanche and is sitting atop the Atlantic Division with 12 points.Torontos last two wins came on home ice and the club is wrapping a three-game stand at ACC on Thursday. The Maple Leafs were last in action on Tuesday, when Mason Raymond tallied a pair of goals to help Toronto record a 4-1 decision over the Minnesota Wild.Raymond scored his first of the game in the second period and added a late empty-netter for Toronto, which is shooting for its first four-game winning streak since Feb. 5-11 of last season.Tyler Bozak and Trevor Smith also scored in Tuesdays victory.It was tough, theyre a good team, said Bozak. They play hard, they dont give you much out there. We found a way to get it done, and thats the most important thing.James Reimer, making his first appearance in goal after he was pulled for Jonathan Bernier in the second period of a win over Ottawa on Oct. 5, stood tall between the pipes, stopping 37-of-38 shots.You want contribution from everybody all over the ice, said Raymond. Reims tonight was huge. From our standpoint, we didnt have the best game ever, didnt have a lot of shots on net, but at the end of the day we found a way to win.Carolina has lost three straight heading into Thursdays contest, but the Canes were able to recorrd a point in two of those setbacks, including Tuesdays 3-2 shootout loss against visiting Chicago.ddddddddddddPatrick Sharp scored in the third round of the shootout to help the Blackhawks take a 3-2 win, but Carolina overcame a 2-0 deficit in the third period to steal a point from the defending Stanley Cup champions.Alexander Semin and Ron Hainsey scored in the third period for the Hurricanes, who havent won since beating Washington on Oct. 10.Cam Ward finished the game with 34 saves, but fell to 0-2-3 on the season.Trailing by two goals entering the third period, the Hurricanes made it a one- goal game 3:54 in as a big slap shot from the right circle by Eric Staal was stopped, but the rebound sat on the doorstep and Semin swept it in for his second of the year.Carolina tied the game with 7:27 to play, as Hainsey wound up with the puck at the left point and threw it on net. The disc sailed past several players and beat a screened Crawford.To come back and tie the game in the third period is a huge confidence booster for this team, said Ward. We just have to learn how to finish these games.Ward is 13-8-2 with a 2.78 GAA in 23 career outings against Toronto and is expected to get the call on Thursday.Carolinas Elias Lindholm has sat out the last two tilts with an upper-body issue and the centerman is also questionable for Thursdays contest.Toronto posted a 6-3 home win over the Hurricanes when the clubs last met on March 28. That victory ended a four-game slide in the series for the Maple Leafs, who only have two wins in the last seven games against Carolina.Toronto has claimed three of the last five meetings at Air Canada Centre, but the Hurricanes have taken seven of the past 10 encounters on the road. ' ' '