Offense erupts in Nats' 13-4 win

ATLANTA - For the third straight night, the Nationals found themselves playing from behind after the first inning.

Braves right fielder Nick Markakis led off tonight's game with a single to left field off Nats starter Jordan Zimmermann. First baseman Freddie Freeman added a double and then catcher A.J. Pierzynski scored them both on a soft single to center.

It was nothing new for Markakis, as he's reached base and scored in the opening frame in each of the three games in the series.

The Nats answered in the second. Right fielder Bryce Harper roped a single to right field to start the second and moved to second on an aggressive tag-up on first baseman Ryan Zimmerman's deep fly to center. Harper scored on catcher Wilson Ramos' single up the middle.

Update: The Braves plated a third run in the third when first baseman Freddie Freeman singled home shortstop Andrelton Simmons. A throwing error by Nats second baseman Dan Uggla had allowed Simmons to advance into scoring position at second base.

Fueled by a four-run fourth inning, the Nats stormed back to take the lead. Harper got things going with a rocket off the right field wall that went for a double. Zimmerman quickly picked up his team-leading 14th RBI on a single to drive Harper in. After Braves starter Alex Wood got Ramos swinging for the second out, Wood then served up a single to third baseman Danny Espinosa and a walk to Uggla to load the bases for Zimmermann.

Risking walking in a run, Wood fell behind 3-0 but worked the count back to full before Zimmermann came through with a bases-clearing line drive single to the gap in left-center field.

The three RBIs on the base hit are just one behind his single-season high, set in 2012.

Update II: The Nats increased the gap in the sixth after back-to-back singles put Espinosa in position to score on Uggla's high chopper to second.

ZImmermann has allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits with one walk and five strikeouts through six innings.

Update III: Center fielder Denard Span began the seventh with his fourth double of the series. Two batters later, Werth would break out of an 0-for-14 slump with a RBI single scoring Span. The Nats weren't done. Harper drew his league-leading 21st walk and then Ramos legged out an infield single to load the bases for Espinosa.

Espinosa was able to fight a pitch from Braves right-hander Trevor Cahill into center field allowing Werth and Harper to score.

Ramos and Espinosa both have three-hits in the game.

Zimmerman made it through seven innings giving up four runs (three earned) on eight hits with one walk and seven strikeouts.

Update IV: The Nats scored four more times in the ninth capped off by Span's three-run homer.

Lefty Matt Grace and right-hander Aaron Barrett combined for two scoress innings of relief to finish off a 13-4 win for the Nats.

The Nationals' record stands at 9-13 after their second series win of the season.