Veteran trio has Nats on top of Mets (Nats never trail in 5-3 win)

After a stretch where it seemed like none of the Nationals' middle-of-the-order hitters could get anything done at the plate, Ryan Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche and Michael Morse have done all the damage for the Nats tonight. The three veteran hitters are now a combined 5-for-8 with a walk, and they've delivered all four Washington RBIs. LaRoche got the scoring started in the first, drilling a three-run homer to right. It gave the Nats an early 3-0 lead and snapped what had been a brutal slump at the plate for the first baseman. It was LaRoche's first home run - and just his sixth hit - since May 23. His average dropped 30 points in that two-week span. In the fifth, Zimmerman reached on a two-out single to right, LaRoche followed with a single to center, and Morse notched his first RBI of the season with a sharp base-knock to right. The run gave the Nats a 4-2 lead and gave Morse four hits in his last seven at-bats since going 0-for-9 immediately after coming off the DL. Zimmerman, meanwhile, has reached base in five of his last seven plate appearances, and might be turning the corner after an incredibly slow start to the season. Update: Edwin Jackson leaves the game after seven innings in line for just his second win of the season. The righty allowed just three runs (two earned) over his seven strong frames, giving up three walks and four hits. He struck out six and threw 100 pitches, 60 for strikes. The Nats hold a 5-3 lead in the eighth after LaRoche added his fourth RBI of the night, which came on a sac fly in the seventh. Update II: With LaRoche's first-inning blast serving as the main blow, the Nats never trailed tonight and beat the Mets 5-3. LaRoche and Morse combined to go 4-for-6 with all five Washington RBIs, Jackson got his second win on the season and Tyler Clippard notched his fifth save. The Nats now hold a two-game edge over Atlanta and Miami in the National League East and have taken four of their five games with the Mets this season.