Now healthy, it's time for Nationals lineup to produce

MIAMI - The Nationals reached the 98th game before Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman and Anthony Rendon found themselves together in the lineup for the first time this season.

The trio combined to go 4-for-10 in last night's 4-1 loss to the Marlins with Zimmerman's second-inning double setting up the Nats only run.

"Couldn't get it done (last night)," Nationals manager Matt Williams said after last night's game. "Overall, I think some guys put together some good at-bats, we just didn't come through with that one that we needed. Nonetheless, it's nice to see Jayson out there, Zim out there and Anthony back out there as well. It looks like they're seeing it fine and they're swinging OK."

The Nationals have dropped seven of 11 since the All-Star break and have scored a total of just 14 runs in the seven losses. They've faced some of the game's best pitchers over this stretch, but the Nats have also had their opportunities. They loaded the bases against Marlins starter Jose Fernandez with one out in the fifth last night only to have Werth ground into an inning-ending double play. That was the same result off the bat of Yunel Escobar to close out the game in the ninth.

The talk continues to surround how the offense should simply round into form with the familiar veterans filling the lineup card once again.

"We get me, Zim, Rendon (and) we'll get (Stephen Strasburg) back soon too," Werth said Tuesday night. "Those are all pretty good acquisitions that you don't have to give anything up for. You add us to a team that's already in first place, it's similar, but obviously you're not trading for anybody. With those additions in mind, I think, going forward down the stretch here, we're where we need to be."

Sure, if they produce as expected. Before their injuries, Werth and Zimmerman were barely hitting above .200. If they can warm up their bats over the final two months, it will certainly help Bryce Harper, whose power numbers have dropped off considerably in July while teams continue to pitch around him. Harper, Zimmerman and Werth were last in the lineup together in May when Harper bombed 13 homers with a .884 slugging percentage. This month, Harper has left the yard only three times while slugging at a .515 clip.

"Hopefully, it just leads to more wins," Werth said on getting healthy. "A lineup like that, we got good flow. It's balanced. It's a pretty potent lineup with everybody in there."

Now they just have to prove it.