After Bryce Harper swung into action, the St. Louis Cardinals were the ones who didn't feel so good.
Ill for the past week, Harper hit a tying, two-run homer in the ninth inning, then delivered a sacrifice fly in the 10th that sent the Washington Nationals over the Cardinals 4-3 Monday.
Washington got back to .500 and pulled within 7 1/2 games of NL East-leading Atlanta and 3 1/2 games of Philadelphia after both lost.
The playoff-contending Cardinals have dropped three in a row for the first time since July 11-14.
The Cardinals led 3-1 with one out in the ninth when Harper hit his 31st home run, sending a 96 mph fastball from closer Bud Norris over the center field fence.
Mark Reynolds led off the Washington 10th against Chasen Shreve (1-1) with a double that went in and out of right fielder Tyler O'Neill's glove. Pinch-runner Michael Taylor moved to third on Adam Eaton's bunt single and an out later, Harper flied to deep left. Taylor slid in safely, well ahead of Marcell Ozuna's throw.
It was the second rough outing in a row for Norris, who gave up three runs and two homers in the 10th inning of Sunday's 6-4 loss to Cincinnati.
St. Louis manager Mike Shildt said Norris, who has converted 28 of 33 save opportunities, is unlikely to be available Tuesday after pitching on consecutive days.
Greg Holland (2-2) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the victory against the Cardinals, who designated him for assignment July 27. It was his longest outing since a two-inning appearance for Kansas City on May 12, 2015.
Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty went five innings, giving up a solo homer to Trea Turner in the first. He loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but coaxed Ryan Zimmerman to fly out. Flaherty struck out five and walked five.
Washington's Max Scherzer settled in after needing 33 pitches to get through a two-run first. He eventually retired 12 in a row, a stretch halted when Yairo Munoz led off the sixth with his seventh home run.
Scherzer pitched seven innings, allowing four hits while striking out 11. It was his 15th outing with at least 10 strikeouts this season. He has a major league-leading 260 strikeouts for the year, his fifth consecutive season with at least 250.
