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PITTSBURGH -- The tag was clearly fake. What happened next was all too real for the NL East champion Washington Nationals: Bryce Harper got hurt and needs X-rays.Harper injured his left thumb making an awkward slide to avoid a pretend tag by Pittsburgh third baseman Jung Ho Kang, and the teams later cleared the benches Sunday in Washingtons 10-7 win.Nationals manager Dusty Baker said Harper was sore and would have X-rays on Monday. The reigning NL MVP had surgery to repair a torn ligament in the same thumb in 2014.Harper led off the third inning with a triple. As he neared third, Kang acted as if a throw was coming and feigned a tag.Harper went down, was checked by a trainer and stayed in. He scored on Anthony Rendons double and was replaced in the field in the bottom half by Chris Heisey.Kang insisted he merely intended to keep Harper from scoring when right fielder Josh Bells throw was way off line.First of all, I meant no harm, Kang said through a translator. During the relay play, I tried to hold the runner on third base. Thats all I tried to do.The next time Kang came up, Nationals starter A.J. Cole threw a fastball behind him and was immediately ejected by plate umpire Jordan Baker as the benches emptied.Cole said he was trying to pitch inside to Kang. Baker said the entire situation wasnt ideal for a team that is focusing on a playoff run.We dont want guys suspended, Baker said. But you know, boys will be boys, and youve still got to defend your teammates.Washingtons Jayson Werth was in the middle of the skirmish. Pirates outfielder Sean Rodriguez was ejected.I was very surprised I was the only one ejected considering, Rodriguez said. I got blamed for being the one that instigated, but you can watch the film yourself.Werth had a pinch-hit, two-run homer and Heisey had a go-ahead single during a five-run burst in the eighth. The Nationals rally came against former teammate Felipe Rivero (1-5).Rivero had allowed just four earned runs in his previous 25 innings since being traded from Washington to the Pirates.Kang hit a two-run homer off Koda Glover to give the Pirates the lead in the seventh.Shawn Kelley (3-2) wound up with the win. Former Pirates closer Mark Melancon pitched a scoreless ninth for his 43rd save.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: C Francisco Cervelli did not play after taking a foul ball off his wrist Saturday. ... RHP Neftali Feliz (arm) threw off flat ground but is not yet ready for a return to the mound.UP NEXTNationals: Tanner Roark (15-9 2.70 ERA) had his start pushed back one day after the Nationals clinched the NL East on Saturday night. Hell looking for his career-best 16th win as Washington hosts Arizona for a four-game series.Pirates: Chad Kuhl (5-3, 3.73 ERA) will start as Pittsburgh begins a four-game series against the NL Central champion Chicago Cubs. Kuhl has allowed seven earned runs in 7 1/3 innings in his two previous starts against Chicago this season. Lawrence Taylor Giants Jersey . They reached the 100-point plateau for the fourth time in five games, bested the visiting Trail Blazers by 34 in the paint and scored 19 of the final 25 points in regulation. Eli Manning Youth Jersey . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. http://www.giantsrookiestore.com/Giants-Mark-Bavaro-Jersey/ . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. It was just enough to help lift Golden State to a 102-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Dalvin Tomlinson Jersey . But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom recognized by anyone outside their inner circle. Julian Love Youth Jersey . -- Jakob Silfverberg is making himself right at home with the Anaheim Ducks, scoring four goals in his first four games. ATLANTA -- Taylor Gabriel plays as if hes got something to prove.No surprise there.Hes one of the smallest guys on the field and couldnt even keep a job with the winless Cleveland Browns.Landing firmly on his feet in Atlanta, Gabriel turned a couple of short passes into long touchdowns that sparked the Falcons to a 38-19 victory Sunday over the plummeting Arizona Cardinals.The 5-foot-8, 165-pound Gabriel was cut by the Browns just before the season. That motivated him even more after he was claimed off waivers by the Falcons.Im shorter than all you guys here, he told reporters gathered around his locker, so I have to play with a chip on my shoulder. I have to play bigger than I am. I have to go out there and show people what I can do on a week-to-week basis.Gabriel scored on plays of 35 and 25 yards that showed off his speed. His second score , with just under 9 minutes remaining, finished off the Cardinals, who began the season touted as a Super Bowl contender but have been one of the NFLs most disappointing teams.I felt like they were running in slow motion, Gabriel quipped.The Falcons (7-4) began the day leading the NFC South and moved a step closer to their first playoff berth since 2012.We recognize the opportunity we have at hand, coach Dan Quinn said.The Cardinals (4-6-1) have lost two straight and three of their past four, putting them in danger of missing the playoffs after reaching the NFC championship game last season.Coach Bruce Arians was on the sideline after falling ill and being briefly hospitalized early in the week, but it did little to inspire his team.Theres not much you can take positive from this game, Arizonas Larry Fitzgerald said.Arizona got off to a strong start, burning the Falcons for eight plays of at least 13 yards on its first two possessions for a 10-7 lead.The Falcons surged ahead late in the first half when Matt Ryan tossed a screen pass to Gabriel, who picked up a couple of key blocks and outran everyone else to the end zone for his first score.Arizona cut it to 17-13 when Chris Catanzaro hit a 54-yard field goal on the final play of the half, the Cardinals taking advantage of an interception off a bobbled pass by Atlanta star Julio Jones.The Cardinals never got any closer.Tevin Colemans 2-yard touchdown run capped a 113-play, 77-yard drive that extended Atlantas lead to 24-13 late in the third quarter.ddddddddddddThen it was Gabriel with the clinching score. He took another quick pass in the flat, sped down the left sideline and reached the pylon with a soaring dive.It was the kind of play that helped the Falcons counter Arizonas attacking defense, which came in ranked No. 1 in yards allowed.We felt his presence. We certainly felt his speed, Quinn said. When the other team wants to pressure and play aggressive, thats one of the weapons you use. Man, did he come up big for us.The Falcons finished with 360 yards, the most given up by the Cardinals since Week 1. No one has scored more points on Arizona this season.KEANUS HITAfter being fined for a vicious hit in Atlantas previous game, rookie safety Keanu Neal could be taking another blow to his wallet.Neal was penalized in the fourth quarter for unnecessary roughness against Fitzgerald.It looked as though both players lowered their helmets before making contact, but it was Neal picking up the flag.Neal was fined $24,309 for his helmet-to-helmet blow on Philadelphia receiver Jordan Matthews.INJURY REPORTArizona lost backup receiver John Brown to a hamstring injury, while Falcons defensive end Adrian Clayborn went down with a knee injury.Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer was taken to the X-ray room at the Georgia Dome after the game, but it was apparently just a precautionary measure. He met with reporters at his locker and didnt mention any problems.Cornerback Patrick Peterson played the game with a sore left knee. He was called for two pass interference penalties trying to defend Jones, both of which contributed to scores.I dont know what the diagnosis is right now, but I cant put too much pressure on it, Peterson said.UP NEXTCardinals: Return home to face Washington next Sunday.Falcons: Host the Kansas City Chiefs, the only team remaining on Atlantas schedule with a winning record.---Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry .---For more NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '