Offense finally clicking as Nationals take series with 9-5 win

Wilson Ramos and Anthony Rendon went deep and Danny Espinosa delivered a three-run double as the Nationals opened up their offense in a 9-5 win over the Brewers. It was the Nationals' first back-to-back series win since they took three straight series from the Pirates, Braves and Phillies from June 19-June 28. The Nats also claimed only their second series win in D.C. since the All-Star break.

Jordan Zimmermann fell behind quickly after Scooter Gennett led off the game with a single. Jonathan Lucroy then crushed a hanging slider for a two-run homer. Ryan Braun followed with a blast off the right field wall, but got greedy stretching for a double. Bryce Harper played the carom perfectly, nailing Braun on a missile to Ian Desmond covering second.

"Pretty good throw," Harper said.

The Nationals cut the early deficit in half in the bottom of the frame on Ryan Zimmerman's two-out RBI double scoring Jayson Werth.

With the bases loaded and two outs in the third, Desmond hit a chopper that Brewers starter Matt Garza fumbled, allowing Rendon to cross the plate. Espinosa followed with a drive to deep right-center field, nearly missing a grand slam as the ball banged off the top of the wall. Harper, Zimmerman and Desmond all scored on Espinosa's 20th double of the season.

Gennett cut the Nats' lead to 5-3 with a solo homer off Zimmermann in the fifth. But the Nats returned fire moments later when Ramos destroyed Garza's fastball, sending it crashing off the façade of the second deck in deep right-center field underneath the scoreboard at Nationals Park.

"That's a long homer," Williams said. "That's the kind of power he's got. If he can elevate the pitch and elevate the way he hits the ball, then he can do that."

After walks to Michael A. Taylor and Werth, Rendon deposited right-hander Corey Knebel's 96 mph heater into the left field seats over the Brewers bullpen for a three-run homer.

"I saw it hit a barrel and I ran around the bases," Rendon said matter-of-factly when asked to explain his longball.

Zimmermann wasn't sharp, surrendering two homers and four runs total over 5 2/3 innings, but the Nationals offense allowed him to collect his 10th win of the season.

The Nationals' nine runs scored tied a season-high accomplished four times at home this season.

"The offensive approach is important," Williams said. "The typical at-bats that we had today. Jayson, at the top of the lineup, saw a lot of pitches. Anthony worked counts. Zim walked a couple of times. So that just creates opportunity. Those type of offensive at-bats are important.

"Yeah, guys are gonna hit the ball out of the ballpark on occasion, but that's not the measure of our success. It come from those extended at-bats, those extended innings. That, offensively, I hope continues to happen."

Rendon and Ramos provided lifts for the Nats lineup the past two days. Rendon homered in back-to-back games and added a double, five RBIs, four walks and three runs scored.

"I just think that Anthony is feeling better about his swing and getting into the flow a little bit," Williams said. "Anytime you have that kind of time off, it's difficult. It just doesn't come back like riding a bike. It's been good lately, though."

Ramos went 4-for-7 over the two wins with a homer, double, walk, two RBIs and three runs scored.

"It was a good day," Ramos said. "It was a good day for us, for the team. We need those days. I hit the ball really well today."

The first-place Mets swept the Rockies, so the Nationals remain five games back in the race for the National League East title with 39 games remaining. After the game, Williams was questioned whether his team realizes the sense of urgency.

"They've always had that sense," Williams responded. "It doesn't change from day to day. We have no choice, today included, but to forget about it. It's over. When it's going the wrong way, you have to do that to. Sense of urgency, all of those terms, they have it every single day. They want to win every day."