Three homers from the Nats' young guns drop the Padres 5-1

Max Scherzer was outstanding. Plus, the offense displayed a trio of young hitters who can hit the ball out of the park. That formula adds up to another Nationals signature victory in 2017. That formula will win them a lot of games.

Trea Turner, Michael A. Taylor and Bryce Harper all homered in the 5-1 win over the Padres.

"Scherzer on the hill and three homers, that's a pretty good formula," said acting manager Chris Speier. "I didn't do a darn thing the whole game. Not a thing. I didn't have to."

Turner is 23 years old. Turner's homer was a solo shot to lead off the game. It was the first leadoff homer of the season for the Nationals, third career for Turner.

"I like hitting them where nobody can catch them," Turner said. "I feel like I've hit the ball at people at times this year and it's nice hitting it out of the reach of those defenders."

Taylor is 26 years old. His two-run shot in the fourth hit well up the second wall over the center field fence.

Harper is 24 years old. His mammoth shot landed in the front row of the third deck and will surely be commemorated with a red seat. That finished the scoring, making it 5-1 in the seventh.

"That was one of the longest home runs I've ever seen," said Speier. "It really was. I think he's kind of understood (pitching around him) now. A guy like that that's in that role, he realizes his value is getting on base."

Harper was intentionally walked in the third. With the game still within reach and Jayson Werth on second base in the seventh, it was a bit curious that San Diego would opt to pitch to Harper. But they did. And he made them pay, as he has made several teams pay since 2012.

Padres reliever Kirby Yates worked Harper to a 3-2 count. Then for the eighth time this season, Harper slammed a home run with two strikes. How is he able to lock in for the payoff pitch?

"I don't know. Just trying to hit the baseball and have good at-bats," Harper explained. "I think I like hitting off-speed a little too much as well. So, if I was to get an off-speed pitch up in the zone, it's fun to hit. Take a chance, put a good swing on it and see what happens."

Harper's eighth homer with two strikes broke a tie with Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and Brewers first baseman Eric Thames, both of whom came into Friday's games with seven such homers.

Harper's mammoth shot, his 15th homer of the season, appeared to be caught by a fan in the first row, about the fourth seat of Section 236 in the third deck in right field. It was the sixth upper-deck home run hit at Nationals Park. Harper has hit five of them (Adam LaRoche had the other, in 2014).

"Bryce was able to get a slider and he just hit the living daylights out of it," Scherzer said. "I was watching it on TV, and I knew that thing was going to end up in that upper deck. What he's doing for our ball club is huge. Just like everybody else. Everybody had a role tonight. That's what makes it fun, is when you have a good team game."

Speier is now 2-0 as acting manager. He certainly likes his gig.

"This team right now is swinging the bat pretty well, and not just Bryce, people around him and behind him," Speier said. "I think he's maybe growing up a little bit with that, I think maybe last year, that experience, it helped."

The young guns and the Cy Young. That's all it takes.