Final thoughts after a convincing three-game sweep

FLUSHING, N.Y. - Before I pack up and leave the Citi Field press box, here are a few final thoughts: At the moment, the Nationals are tied with the Yankees for the best record in baseball. They're 19 games above .500, tying the franchise's high-water mark, set during the 2005 season. They've won five in a row, knocked the Mets 11 1/2 games back in the division and improved their road record to 30-20. If you've noticed this team gaining some swagger in recent weeks, there's a reason why. "We know we're good," Michael Morse said. "That's what it's come down to. Our pitching's really good, hitters are doing their job, so why not have confidence? Why not have a little swagger?" The Nats ran over the Mets in this three-game series, outscoring them 18-6. The trio of Jordan Zimmermann, Gio Gonzalez and Stephen Strasburg allowed just two earned runs over 20 innings (that's a 0.90 ERA), striking out 21 and walking just two. Dating back to Edwin Jackson's start against the Braves on Saturday afternoon, six straight Nationals starters have allowed two runs or fewer in their outing. Of those six starters, only Jordan Zimmermann failed to go seven innings. Even without Ian Desmond, the Nationals' offense hasn't been lacking. They hit six home runs this series, and the longballs came from four different players. The bullpen has so many weapons right now, it seems Davey Johnson is trying to figure out how he can use them all. Things keep getting better for this team. And with their next 15 games coming against sub-.500 teams, that swagger might grow in the coming weeks.