Allowing two homers again, Nats fall to Padres 5-3

In the last game of the series against the Dodgers on Thursday, third baseman Justin Turner cranked two homers and had five RBIs as L.A. won over the Nationals 6-3 to take the series.

That scenario repeated itself Friday, when Padres and former Dodgers right-fielder Matt Kemp launched two homers and finished with four RBIs in a San Diego series-opening 5-3 win over the Nationals.

Manager Dusty Baker said he wants his club to be more aggressive early in games.

"We don't kick dirt on people when they're down," Baker said. "We're not getting the big hits and we're getting untimely mistakes to some big hitters. This is similar to the Dodgers, where the third baseman drove in five runs (Turner). Today, the same guy, Kemp, who you know can hit and has been hitting for years, he drove in four runs. It's sort of the mirror image of yesterday's game."

Right-hander Tanner Roark allowed both homers in just five innings of work, taking the loss (9-6). It was the first time in his last six starts he had not reached seven full innings. It was also his shortest outing since June 5 in Cincinnati, when he pitched only three innings and gave up five runs on seven hits.

This time it was just a question of not keeping the ball down to Kemp.

"Just left fastballs right down the middle, belt high," Roark said. "I've said it before and I'll say it again, you leave those pitches there then they're going to go far, that's what happened tonight. Didn't have my best stuff by any means tonight. I stunk. Workouts the next four days, then get back at it the next start."

Friday the Nationals scored only three runs again. In the last four losses, they have scored 11 runs.

Manager Dusty Baker, in one of his strongest statements to date, suggested a change of approach might be a way to get going on offense.

"At this stage of the game, almost two-thirds of the season gone, we gotta make some changes," Baker said. "We've been waiting and waiting and waiting, and it's getting frustrating on the guys and frustrating on fans and frustrating to us, too. You had to be patient and you hope that we make some changes and some theories and philosophies and getting a good pitch to hit. The only thing you can do is hit it hard. A lot of times, you're not getting a pitch to hit."

Right fielder Bryce Harper, who went 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts, doesn't necessarily agree that big approach changes are the answer.

"I don't think we need to change much at all," Harper said. "I think we're a great team. I think we're swinging the bats well. I think we're winning ballgames and doing what we need to do and keep playing the game we're playing. I think we got 25 guys out there that grind and do everything they can to win a ballgame every single night. Sometimes you're gonna lose and it's part of baseball."

But it is clear this team gets into rough patches on offense where they are not able to get out of early deficits, like the 6-1 and 5-2 advantages the Dodgers and Padres have enjoyed the last two games. This team is built on starting pitching.

The Nationals have been the one to go out early or limit teams to a couple of runs and win games because of their stingy pitching. Recently, in losses in four of their last five games, the tables have been turned against them. The other team is getting good starting pitching.

Maybe the healthy return of first baseman Ryan Zimmerman can help. Zimmerman went 1-for-5 with a two-run single and a run scored, but also had four strikeouts in high Single-A Potomac's 9-8 comeback win over Winston-Salem. Drew Vettleson crushed a two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth to walk off with the win. He finished with six RBIs.

Left-hander Sammy Solis pitched a scoreless eighth inning, allowing a base hit with three strikeouts.

Both are expected to rehab again Saturday for Potomac.