Nationals' bats finally come alive in 7-4 victory over Indians

On a blistering hot afternoon when they needed production from their erratic and injury-depleted lineup, the Nationals got just what they ordered.

Jayson Werth's three-run homer highlighted the Nats' best offensive performance of this homestand, propelling them to a 7-4 victory over the Indians and a split of their brief, two-game interleague series.

Werth homered, doubled and walked, extending his league-best streak of consecutive games reaching base to 40. Daniel Murphy, Wilson Ramos and Anthony Rendon also drove in runs for the Nationals, who again played without Bryce Harper (sidelined with a stiff neck for the third straight game).

The win, combined with the Marlins' 1-0 loss to the Giants earlier in the afternoon, expanded the Nationals' lead in the NL East to 7 1/2 games, their largest of the season.

After being held to three total runs in their three previous games, the Nationals broke out at last this afternoon, taking advantage of the scorching conditions at the park (gametime temperature was 91 degrees, with a heat index of 102) to score runs in bunches.

But each time they did so, the Indians got those runs right back against Gio Gonzalez.

Ramos' RBI single in the bottom of the first? Followed immediately by Abraham Almonte's RBI double in the top of the second.

Werth's three-run homer in the bottom of the second? Followed immediately by Francisco Lindor's two-run blast and Jose Ramirez's RBI double in the top of the third.

So when the Nationals re-took the lead yet again with three runs in the bottom of the fifth - via Murphy's run-scoring double to deep right and Rendon's two-run double down the third base line - there were probably more than a few skeptics who doubted Gonzalez could hold that newfound 7-4 lead.

Dusty Baker, though, never let it get to that point. When Gonzalez put the first two batters in the top of the sixth on base, the manager immediately pulled his starter and entrusted the rest of the game to his bullpen.

Matt Belisle got out of the jam in the sixth, inducing two ground balls (one of them a double play). Blake Treinen, Oliver Perez and Shawn Kelley combined to get out of the seventh, with Kelley returning for the eighth.

Mark Melancon pitched the ninth to record his second save in as many opportunities since the Nationals acquired him before the trade deadline.