Nats flex their muscles with three homers in 5-1 win

For the first time in 11 days, the Nationals actually gained ground on the Mets. The Red Sox helped the Nats by knocking off the Mets 3-1, while Washington took care of business, smacking three homers in a 5-1 win over Miami.

Ryan Zimmerman began the longball parade with a solo shot into the Red Porch to start the second. He has now driven in runs in six straight games. Zimmerman is batting .286 (6-for-21) with three homers and 11 RBIs over the mini hot streak.

"I think he's swinging it good. He's seeing it well," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "He missed a curve early in the night, he hit it to short. But he was on that one, too. He's feeling good up there. I think his foot has been okay, so that helps. He's driving the ball to the middle of the diamond, which is key for him."

A two-out RBI single from Anthony Rendon in the third gave Jordan Zimmermann a two-run lead. Zimmermann blanked the Marlins for the first six innings to rebound from consecutive sub-par outings.

The Nationals power show lit up the scoreboard in the sixth. Rendon led off with a single and then after a couple outs, Clint Robinson bashed an opposite-field two-run homer into the Marlins bullpen.

Ian Desmond jumped on Tom Koehler's very next pitch, pulverizing the curveball high into the grassy berm in straightaway center field. It was the second time the Nats have smashed back-to-back home runs this season and also the second time they've launched three homers in a game after Koehler this year.

"Koehler's going to throw fastballs, we know that," Williams said. "He's going to try to get ahead and use his breaking stuff later. Desi picked on a curveball, a first-pitch curveball. Zim got a fastball to hit and Clint got a two-strike changeup to hit. They stayed in the middle of the diamond. Desi hit the homer to straightaway center. Clint went the other way. Zim got one out that he was able to hit left-center. Good approach tonight."

Desmond leads the Nationals with 10 homers and 25 RBIs since the All-Star break while hitting .287 in 39 games.

Justin Bour tagged Zimmermann for a solo homer to start the seventh, but that was the only run the Marlins managed as Matt Thornton and Jonathan Papelbon shut the door in the eighth and ninth to secure the important victory.

With the Mets falling to the Red Sox earlier in the day, the Nationals now stand 5 1/2 games out of first place in the National League East. The Nats will have a chance to claim their fourth straight series win with the red-hot Stephen Strasburg on the hill Sunday afternoon.

"After a loss last night, we needed to come out and get this win tonight," Robinson said. "Had to do it the home run way. We'll take it if that's how it comes."