Nats' homer count reaches eight in 15-2 rout of Brewers

Dusty Baker wants his team to play better in day games.

Having your star home run hitter crank one out of the park in the first inning helps.

Facing Brewers starter Michael Blazek, Bryce Harper launched a two-run shot over the right-center field wall to give the Nats a 2-0 lead in the first inning. It marked the first time in the series the Nationals scored first. Brian Goodwin had doubled in front of Harper.

Harper's hitting streak is now at 19 games, a career high and the longest this season in the majors. He has reached base in 27 straight games, which is also a career high.

It also doesn't hurt when you have your ace starting in a day game. Max Scherzer struck out two in the first inning. Surprisingly, even with a 2.03 ERA, four of his five losses this season have come in day games.

Oh, and check out the striking resemblance between Blazek and Harper.

The Nats lead 2-0 after one inning.

Update: The Nats tied a pair of major league records with seven runs on eight hits in the third. The Nats hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs to race out to a 7-0 lead. Goodwin, Wilmer Difo, Harper and Ryan Zimmerman smacked consecutive homers. Harper has two homers in the game. Anthony Rendon later hit a solo homer and Jose Lobaton added a RBI double.

The five homers in the inning and the four consecutive blasts tie major league records. The last time four consecutive homers were hit by one team was by the Diamondbacks on Aug. 11, 2010.

Scherzer has not allowed a hit through three innings.

After three innings, the Nats lead the Brewers 9-0.

Update II: The Nats' run-scoring barrage continued in the fourth as they added six more runs on five hits. Zimmerman and Lobaton homered in the inning. Zimmerman's 22nd homer of the season tied him with 237 homers, the most in D.C. history alongside former Senators slugger Frank Howard. The eight homers in the game matches the Expos' record of eight homers at Atlanta on July 30, 1978.

Harper added a RBI double. He is 3-for-3 with two homers and four RBIs.

Max Scherzer has 200 strikeouts on the season. He has had at least 200 strikeouts in six consecutive seasons, most by any active pitcher in the major leagues.

After four and a half innings, the Nats have opened up a 15-1 lead.

Update III: Scherzer finished six innings, allowing only one run on three hits. He struck nine and walked three. Scherzer tossed 109 pitches, 70 for strikes. After seven innings, the Nats lead 15-2.

Update IV: Matt Albers with a quiet ninth inning. The Nats are 17-1 in games when they score 10 or more runs.

Final score: Nationals 15, Brewers 2.

The Nats are 13-7 this season against teams currently in first place or at the top of the wild care race.