Lind, Goodwin and Difo highlight a complete Nats offense

The Nationals offense, especially their 3-4-5-6 hitters, has set the tone for a high scoring band of brothers that makes most National League starters uncomfortable.

However, with Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman out of the starting lineup in the nightcap of a doubleheader against the Rockies on Sunday, runs were certain to be at a premium.

Rockies starter Jon Gray threw a perfect game for four innings. It was the second time in the series the Nats had gone without a hit or a baserunner for at least the first four frames.

But then in the fifth, the Nats went after Gray and piled up three runs on four hits, thanks to a pair of home runs.

Adam Lind smacked a two-run shot and Brian Goodwin cranked a solo number as the Nats went on to beat the Rockies 3-1.

Lind said Gray was feeding him a lot of fastballs.

"He threw them really well," Lind said. "Four hits, so ... I think he just left one over the plate. I think having somebody get on base was good, coming up from the stretch really benefited with me."

Manager Dusty Baker adjusted his lineup without Harper and Zimmerman for most of the nightcap. He placed Lind in the No. 5 hole to protect Anthony Rendon.

Rendon started the fifth with a clean single through the hole at shortstop. Lind then crushed a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall to put the Nats up 2-1, their first lead of the series.

"Adam, he's always a danger up there. We know it. They know it," Baker said. "Boy, that was a big home run. First for Tony able to break up the ... I think he had a no-hitter and a perfect game, the same thing happened on Friday. That was big to put (Gray) in the stretch. But I was telling Michael Taylor, whenever a pitcher runs, when he scored that run, that it seemed to take something out of him for an instant. I was glad I was right one time."

Gray had walked in the top of the fifth and came around to score on consecutive singles from Charlie Blackmon and Gerardo Parra. With all that running, Gray might have still been catching his breath as he stepped to the mound in the bottom of the fifth.

Whatever the reason, the Nats took advantage.

Goodwin's homer was 11th of the season and came on a 3-2 pitch. Coming into this season, Goodwin had not hit a home run in the major leagues. In the minors, he had reached double-digit home runs only in 2013 (10 with Double-A Harrisburg) and 2016 (14 with Triple-A Syracuse).

Baker said the power stroke may have even been a pleasant surprise for Goodwin.

"You're right. I don't know if he realized he had it," Baker said. "He's been working on his swing, really working on hitting against left-handers. He's a strong young man, and he learns quickly. He's full of questions. When you tell him something, he has the ability to apply it in a relatively short period of time. He's been a real savior for us in center field and he'll be back to leadoff tomorrow."

Goodwin has been leading off for most of the time Taylor and Trea Turner have been out. On Sunday night he hit in the No. 7 hole. Wilmer Difo, who had also been at the top of the order, was placed in the No. 8 spot. They came up in the fifth and hit a home run and a triple in consecutive at-bats. Similar to Taylor and Turner, the duo has done a nice job this season feeding off of each other.

Goodwin has hit at least one extra-base hit in 22 of the 32 games this season in which he's notched a base knock. Difo has hit safely in 18 of his last 19 games, hitting .384 (28-for-73) with three homers and 11 RBIs. He has reached base safely in 29 of 34 games this season.

It is amazing to consider the depth this team has past the 3-4-5-6 hitters. The list includes hitters like Lind, Goodwin, Difo and the newly acquired Howie Kendrick. It doesn't even mention the experience that guys like Stephen Drew and Ryan Raburn can also bring to the table.

When Jayson Werth, Turner and Taylor return, the lineup will be ridiculous in it's ability to generate runs, and the pinch-hitting options will just bring it to another level.