Nats blow out Diamondbacks 11-1 for fifth straight win

The Nationals wasted no time getting back on the longball train tonight. Fresh off a rest day, center fielder Denard Span ripped the second pitch from Diamondbacks starter Josh Collmenter well over the right field wall for the third leadoff homer of his career.

Third baseman Yunel Escobar followed with a single. And after left fielder Jayson Werth walked, right fielder Bryce Harper just missed his 12th homer. The long out ended about three feet short of the wall in the right.

No worries though as Chase Field couldn't contain the next batter. First baseman Ryan Zimmerman launched a three-run home run to deep left. Zimmerman's fourth homer of the season gave him 25 RBIs, second best on the Nats.

After starter Max Scherzer breezed through his side of the first, the Nats began their assault on Collmenter again.

Consecutive infield singles for second baseman Danny Espinosa and Scherzer set up Span's second hit of the night, an RBI single to right. Two batters later, Werth added a sacrifice fly, scoring Scherzer. Then Harper delivered the knockout blow to Collmenter with a rope to right, plating Escobar for the Nats' seventh run.

Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale went to newly called up left-hander Vidal Nuno. Nuno promptly served up a walk to Zimmerman to load the bases for hot-hitting catcher Wilson Ramos.

Ramos delivered with a bases-clearing double as the Nats put up a 10-spot in the first two innings. Ramos extended his hitting streak to 14 games, tied for the best mark of his career.

Scherzer, who's receiving run support tonight, is perfect through two with a couple of strikeouts.

Update: Escobar added an RBI single in the fifth. He is 4-for-4 tonight, raising his season average to .336.

Even Scherzer has joined the hit parade with two hits, giving him the second multi-hit game of his career. On the mound, the right-hander has held the Diamondbacks scoreless through five innings, allowing just four hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

Update II: Diamondbacks first baseman Jordan Pacheco broke up Scherzer's bid for a shutout with a solo homer in the sixth.

Update III: Scherzer allowed one run on five hits, with one walk and six strikeouts in seven innings to claim his third win of the season.

Right-hander Blake Treinen pitched two scoreless innings to wrap up the blowout victory.

The Nats beat the Diamondbacks 11-1 for their fifth straight victory.