Offense explodes early and Joe Ross takes advantage in 9-1 win

PHILADELPHIA - So much for the pitching carrying the offense.

The Nationals scored five runs in the first inning and Joe Ross pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings in a 9-1 throttling of the Phillies on Friday night.

Michael A. Taylor and Bryce Harper homered, and Jayson Werth collected two doubles and three RBIs, as the Nationals pounded out 16 hits and nine runs, both season highs.

The Nationals also had a season-high seven extra-base hits.

The 8-1 start is the best in franchise history.

"This is my sixth season here and I came here to win," said Werth. "It wasn't a popular decision when I did that, but I believed since the beginning that we can win. I'm not surprised. We got a great group of guys, we've had great team chemistry ever since that first September in 2011 when we started rolling. I think this core group of guys been great.

"We've had our opportunities, we've had our winning seasons and this is a fun team, and when guys come over here, they are like, 'Man, you guys have a lot of fun'. We have a great group, we got great chemistry."

A Philadelphia writer asked Werth before the game what made the Phillies clubs he was on such good teams.

"Right away, I said chemistry," Werth said. "I really believe that's what made those teams so good. I truly believe that our teams that we've had (with the Nationals) have that type of chemistry. I'm hoping for big things."

The Nationals have been able to get that timely hit in each of their wins to begin the season but most of the credit for their 7-1 start went to the pitching and a combined team ERA of 2.22.

Manager Dusty Baker made sure to give his offense a rest here and there to begin the season. Taylor and Werth sat out Thursday's 6-4 win over the Braves. That rest paid off in their very first at-bats.

"They usually help in some regard," Werth said of the days off. "I feel pretty good. Dusty's trying to keep everybody fresh here in April and keep the guys on the bench with regular at-bats. I'll take the off days when I can get them, especially early in the season because as the season goes on there's going to be fewer and fewer off days."

Taylor crushed a 1-0 pitch off of Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson for his first homer of the season.

"Right now I'm just trying to slow things down at the plate and put together good at-bats," Taylor said. "I got a pitch up and was able to barrel it up."

Werth followed with a three-run double. Danny Espinosa finished the early onslaught with a run-scoring single and suddenly the Nationals led 5-0.

The team batted around and the six hits in the first inning were more than Hellickson had allowed in his first two starts combined.

"That's what we talk about all the time is jump them early and we hadn't been," said Baker. "We had been messing around, not intentionally, til the fifth or sixth inning. Like I said before, Michael can get you on the board in the first inning 1-0, and that's what he did. And then we got some hits. That was a big, big double by Jayson Werth. We had some real good at-bats the inning. It always helps your pitcher, it helps your manager, it helps the morale of the team when you can jump them early like that."

Harper blasted a two-run homer in the sixth. Espinosa finished with two hits and two RBIs.

"I think we're just battling everyday," Harper said of the 8-1 start. "I think we're having a lot of fun. I think Dusty brings a lot of emotion to the game and a lot of opportunity for all of us. It's fun to come here every single day and play the game of baseball. We're pitching well, we're hitting well. You just want to keep it going, keep it rolling and win ball games."

Ross was given a five-run cushion and smacked his first career double before he even took to the hill.

"It helped to just stay aggressive, try not to nitpick," Ross said of the big lead. "The third inning, I kind of got away from that, threw some balls, and then had some deep counts and some walks. But when we score runs early like that it makes it easier on me to go out there and stay aggressive and let them put the ball in play."

Ross threw 7 2/3 innings, allowing only three hits and no runs with two walks and five strikeouts.