No panic as Nats bust out of offensive funk in 10-5 win

BOSTON - The Nationals busted out of their early-season offensive funk in a big way in today's 10-5 win over the Red Sox. Right fielder Bryce Harper's double and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman's triple put two quick runs on the board in the first.

Red Sox starter Wade Miley wouldn't make it out of the third inning. Shortstop Ian Desmond ignited a scoring burst with a solo homer over the Green Monster. After Miley loaded the bases, catcher Wilson Ramos delivered the knockout punch with a three-run double. The Nats didn't treat Red Sox reliever Anthony Varvaro any better. Back-to-back doubles from second baseman Dan Uggla and center fielder Michael A. Taylor plated two more runs to raise the total to six in the frame.

The Nats have come out of the gates tight. It's somewhat understandable, given the heavy expectations sitting on top of them. Costly errors, inconsistent pitching and quiet offense have made for some tenuous early season moments.

Some guys are willing to admit that, while others tend to not address it.

"I think you guys are panicking way more than we are," said Harper referring to members of the media. "I mean, truly. I think the vibe in this clubhouse has been fine. On the bus, in the hotel, on the field. I really think you guys are panicking more than anybody."

Ramos, who now is tied for the team lead in RBIs, noticed a different vibe around the team the past two days where the bats came alive and provided 17 runs - as many as the Nats had scored in the previous seven games.

"I think that was too much pressure on the clubhouse right now," said Ramos. "I think yesterday and today we was more relaxed. We just go out there and enjoy the game. That's what we need. We need go out there and just play baseball. We don't have to feel too much pressure."

"I think a lot of eyes (are) on the team. Everybody has big expectations for the team. They want to see the Nationals doing everything right. But baseball is not perfect. You can make errors. You can strike out. You can do bad things. But you have to make an adjustment to do good things and play good baseball."

Left fielder Tyler Moore provided a huge two-run homer in the seventh inning to give the Nats some breathing room for relievers Rafael Martin and Drew Storen to finish it off. Moore, like most of his teammates, has been slow to start at the plate this year. He came into today's game hitless in 10 at-bats before singling in the fifth.

"It was kinda fun to play today," Moore said. "We hadn't really felt that in, I don't feel, in six or so games. It felt fun to be out there. It kinda felt like we weren't so nervous about messing up. There wasn't that fear there. It was kinda go out, relax and play."

Moore acknowledged that the expectations may have been weighing on the team early on.

"Maybe a little bit," he said. "We had the same pressure in '13 and things like that and it kinda started off slow and never really got going until the end. We know how to feel and kinda calm everything down and get ready to go."