Werth again displays power stroke in Nats' 7-4 comeback win

The Nationals flexed their muscles again in a 7-4 come-from-behind victory over the Marlins, which gave them a fourth consecutive series victory.

Jayson Werth clubbed a two-run homer and later added a run-scoring double, highlighting the Nationals' comeback from 3-0 and 4-2 deficits. They have now won eight of their last 12 games.

Bryce Harper and Ian Desmond provided RBI singles in a three-run fifth. Clint Robinson added his first major league pinch-hit homer, a two-run shot in the sixth, completing their third straight series win over Miami.

The Nationals have now hit at least one home run in 10 of their last 12 games.

Werth has had four extra-base hits in his last four games. The lineup has a different look with Werth in the leadoff role, and when he gets his timing back, he can be dangerous. He takes a lot of pitches, too, and that makes the opposing starter labor much more.

"It doesn't matter whether he hits one or three, it's a question of how he feels and where he's at now as opposed to a week and a half ago," said manager Matt Williams. "It's just more at-bats. So regardless of where he's at in the lineup, he'll hit. But he's done well in the leadoff spot, .390 on-base. He's done some damage, too, today with the double and the homer. Mikey (Michael A. Taylor) gets on and we bunt him over, then we got a real good shot with Jayson at the plate."

Williams said Werth is generally the last hitting coming out of spring training to get his timing in sync. Coming back from a broken left wrist, it has taken a while for Werth to get into a groove.

"He was out for two months with a wrist, that on top of taking a little while to find timing is a result of him struggling a little bit now," Williams said. "But his timing is good now."

"I've felt good," Werth said. "I've felt like I've had power. In 2012, when I broke my wrist and had the surgery I definitely didn't feel that way. I've felt good really this whole time, just the results were not there. But I felt close, timing's been good. Hopefully, we'll get on track here and keep rolling and help this team get it to where it needs to be."

"Timing's better," Williams said of Werth's recent hot streak at the plate. "Getting the foot down a little bit sooner. Staying tall on his back side and he's able to drive a ball to his pull side when he does that. Early on, he was drifting a little bit, trying to feel his timing and his rhythm. It's much better now."

In the bottom of the third with a man on, Werth worked left-hander Brad Hand to a full count and delivered a game-changing two-run shot.

"He can throw any pitch that he wants right there with two strikes and the base open," Werth said. "I fouled a couple of pitches off. He stayed with the heater there. I was able to barrel it, but I thought I took a good rip my first at-bat and just kind of hit it a little thin. But it was almost the same pitch, same spot, same swing. Just hit it on the better part of the barrel and it went a little bit farther. That kind of got us going."

Winning pitcher Doug Fister can appreciate the hitters his team can trot out to face an opposing pitcher. But as a pitcher, he can also empathize with Hand and how difficult it is to get the Nationals out when they are rolling.

"We've got a great lineup," Fister said. "Our hitters are tough to face. Not only do they sometimes jump the first pitch, they're out there grinding and making you throw a lot quality pitches. And the quality pitches you do throw that they don't want to hit, they spoil and foul off.

"Not only does that make the pitcher throw a lot of pitches, it puts that pitcher on his heels, and they put a lot of pressure on him by attacking and (getting) that extra 90 feet."