A pair of doubles helps Nats take early lead (Nats win 16-5)

DENVER - The Rockies were able to score first in the series finale, facing left-hander Gio Gonzalez.

With two outs in the bottom of the first, Nolan Arenado launched a solo homer over the left field wall on a 2-0 offering to give the Rockies a 1-0 lead. The homer was his seventh of the season and travelled an estimated 408 feet.

Bryce Harper walked in the first, but the Nationals were unable to score. He has reached base nine times in the three full games he has started this series.

In the second with one out, Jayson Werth and Matt Wieters drew walks. Wilmer Difo then delivered a loud double off the right-center field wall, which scored Werth.

In the third, Trea Turner led off with a double to deep left. One out later, Daniel Murphy brought him home with a groundout to third. Murphy has 13 RBIs in the last 3 1/3 games. Turner has seven extra-base hit in this series.

Heading to the bottom of the fourth, the Nationals lead 2-1.

Update: The Rockies tied the game after Gonzalez allowed two walks in the fourth. Pat Valaika dropped in an RBI single, his second hit of the game.

The Nationals quickly got that run back thanks to a monster upper-deck solo shot by Adam Eaton with one out in the top of the fifth. It was his second homer of the season and travelled an estimated 411 feet.

The Nationals lead 3-2 mid-fifth in Denver.

Update II: Werth was hit by a pitch with one out in the sixth. Wieters singled. They then pulled off a double steal. With two away, Gonzalez contributed an RBI single to give the Nationals a 4-2 lead.

Gonzalez has done well to stay out of the big inning on the bump as well: He has allowed a base hit every frame, but only two runs over six.

After six innings in Denver, the Nationals lead the Rockies 4-2.

Update III: The Nats scored a season-high 11 runs on eight hits with 15 batters coming to the plate in the seventh inning, highlighted by a 451-foot three-run homer off the bat of Harper. The Nats have scored 41 runs the past 3 games and 20 runs in the 7th inning alone. The last time the club scored double-digit runs for three straight games was June 5, 7 and 8, 2016 versus the Reds and White Sox (31 runs).

The Nationals lead the Rockies 15-2 in the eighth.

Update IV: Murphy blasted solo homer in the ninth, his fifth of the year coming on a full count. Michael A. Taylor also had a pinch-hit single to right field.

Joe Blanton pitched the bottom of the ninth. He allowed three runs on three hits and had to pitch around an Adam Lind fielding error at first base.

The Nationals finished with 42 runs and 47 hits in their last three games.

The 9-1 road record is the best in franchise history. The 16-6 start matches the 1979 Expos for the best start in franchise history. Turner has 10 hits and 11 RBIs in his last three games.

Final score: Nationals 16, Rockies 5.