One, two, three: Nats new lineup connects again in 9-3 runaway

One, two, three.

The Nationals' top of the order, in it's present form, is clicking.

Bryce Harper leading off has been a find.

Trea Turner can still do Trea Turner things from the two-hole.

Matt Adams has been scorching the ball and the Nats have taken full advantage of his hot bat in the No. 3 spot.

All this adds up to another runaway win against the Bucs as the Nats win, 9-3.

The trio at the top of the order has combined for 11 hits, five homers, 10 runs and 14 RBIs in these last two wins.

Wilmer Difo batting ninth, after his first at-bat, flips over to the batter in front of Harper the rest of the game. His numbers the last two games: four hits, including his first homer of the season, three runs and two RBIs.

This lineup is working.

"Yeah, I mean, I thought as a team, we went out there and did our job just like yesterday," Harper said. "Everybody swung the bat well. One through nine, everybody contributed tonight and (Stephen Strasburg) threw the ball great. Great team win."

Harper is seeing more pitches as the leadoff man. He delivered in the Nats' first at-bat with a solo homer off of Pirates starter Ivan Nova. He finished 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs, plus that 10th homer of the season.

"I think just going out there and getting some pitches to hit," Harper said. "I was able to do that tonight and get us some runs up there on the board. Like I said, everybody contributed tonight. I thought Matty swung the bat well, had great at-bats, as he's been doing the past couple days. If we can just keep doing that, grinding at-bats and pitchers keep doing what they're doing, we'll be good."

Adams slammed a solo homer of his own to the opposite field that barely found its way over the left field wall near the 336 sign near the foul pole. Pirates left fielder Corey Dickerson watched the long fly ball and was helpless as it left the park.

"I felt good. At first it looked like he had a pretty good lead on it and he did," Adams said. "Placed it pretty perfectly right in that flower bed out there. I've been working on just staying connected and letting the ball travel to the right spot to drive the ball that way. I'm getting pitches and I'm not missing them that way."

Adams has now strung together 11 hits, four homers and 11 RBIs since April 25, a span of six games.

"I think early on it was one bat here, one bat there. If you don't get the job done that may carry with me," Adams said. "Regular at-bats get my confidence up there and I can just continue to keep it rolling. I think the huge part of it is just getting a grab on the mentally training we talked about earlier today and just getting that confidence and not letting go of that, just continue to keep building on that."

And with the Pirates sending out a right-hander for the final game of the series, Adams will get another chance to build at-bats again on Thursday afternoon. And Ryan Zimmerman will be back in the lineup. Manager Davey Martinez said he will not change this lineup after 21 runs and 24 hits in the past two games.

"We'll let it ride," Martinez said. "The boys are doing well. LIke I said, [Harper's] getting pitched to a little bit, and he's swinging the bat well. So, we'll keep it going. Matt Adams is doing awesome, too. They all are. The biggest thing with this is Difo's getting on base. That helps a lot."