St. Louis quarterback AJ McCarron threw four touchdown passes, but the Battlehawks’ bid for third consecutive double-digit comeback was short-circuited by a sack in Week 3 of the XFL season.

The D.C. Defenders emerged with a 34-28 victory on Sunday after surviving another improbable rally by St. Louis at Audi Field in Washington.

McCarron threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Sutherland as the Battlehawks took a 20-17 lead on their first possession after halftime.

But the Defenders dominated almost all the second half from there and scored on their next three possessions to take a 34-20 lead with 6:46 to play.

D.C. stopped St. Louis on downs on a fourth-and-1 incompletion at the Defenders 22-yard line with 3:58 remaining, and the game seemed over when free safety Kentrell Brice picked off a long throw at the goal line on fourth-and-1 with 28 seconds to play.

But with the football the D.C. 1-yard line, quarterback Jordan Ta’amu fumbled the snap, and St. Louis safety Ben DeLuca recovered.

On the next snap, McCarron threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Steven Mitchell, then completed a 2-point conversion pass as the Battlehawks closed within six points with 22 seconds to play.

As it did in its season-opening comeback, St. Louis chose to take a fourth-and-15 snap at its 25-yard line to try to retain possession rather than attempt an onside kick. But outside linebacker Davin Bellamy ended the Battlehawks’ rally with a sack that devolved into a melee as players from both sidelines joined the pushing and shoving on the field.

St. Louis running back Brian Hill and D.C. middle linebacker Francis Bernard and guard Rod Taylor were ejected from the game. A Battlehawks helmet got toss well down the field, and so did a penalty flag – not by an official but by an angry player. D.C. had to snap the football for a kneel-down to finish the game, and St. Louis defenders submarined into Ta’amu, sparking a little more bad blood.

In St. Louis’ 18-15 victory over the San Antonio Brahmas on Feb. 19, McCarron threw two TD passes in the final 85 seconds. On Feb. 23, the Battlehawks beat the Seattle Sea Dragons 20-18 on a field goal on the final snap of the game.

In those games, St. Louis did not lose a turnover. But against D.C., the Battlehawks lost four.

Cornerback Michael Joseph intercepted McCarron when tight end Jovani Haskins slipped down coming out of his cut. For the second time this season, Joseph ran back an interception for a touchdown – this time covering 41 yards — as the Defenders took a 14-0 lead with 9:45 left in the first quarter.

Hill lost a fumble at the D.C. 4-yard line in the second quarter.

Nose tackle Caraun Reid hit McCarron’s arm as he was trying to pass, and Defenders recovered the loose football at the St. Louis 24-yard line. The turnover set up a field goal on the first snap of the fourth quarter that gave D.C. a 28-20 lead.

McCarron completed 26-of-42 passes for 262 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions on Sunday.

The former Alabama All-American threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Hill, followed by a successful 2-point conversion toss, with 5:33 left in the first quarter, and a 1-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Hakeem Butler with three seconds left in the first half as the Battlehawks tied the score at 14-14.

Butler finished with nine receptions for 105 yards and one touchdown.

Ta’amu completed 11-of-20 passes for 196 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions and ran for a TD while sharing time at quarterback for D.C. with Deriq King, who also passed for a touchdown.

While St. Louis dropped to 2-1, D.C. stands as the XFL North’s only undefeated team at 3-0 under former Alabama State standout and coach Reggie Barlow.

The Battlehawks will make their home debut on March 12, when the Arlington Renegades visit the Dome at America’s Center at 3 p.m. CDT. The Defenders host the Vegas Vipers at 6 p.m. March 12. ESPN2 will televise both games.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.