Werth values on-base streak: "It's a product of my approach"

DENVER - Left fielder Jayson Werth smacked his fourth home run in the past nine games in Monday's 5-4 win over the Rockies.

But he didn't think the homer was because of the thin air associated with Coors Field.

"Nah, you got to deal with the elements," Werth said. "Everybody deals with it when they come here. Played in the NL West when I was first coming up, I've been here enough times to know what you need to do so it's tough to come in here, it really is. It's a different style of baseball."

Werth's on-base streak has reached 43 games, which ties Ryan Zimmerman's 2009 Nationals record. Rusty Staub holds the Expos record with 46 games, but that was over a two-season span.

Werth continues to deflect the importance of the on-base streak. But he does say that patience has helped him since the third month of the season to see more pitches and make the pitcher work.

"It's a product of my approach," Werth said. "My approach has been pretty solid now for maybe since early part of June or late may or somewhere in there. I got away from it there at the beginning of the season and my focus has always been to get on base.

"You get on base good things can happen so I want to get on base for our team because that's who we score runs to be honest. that's always been my approach and i think its more of a product of that."

Second baseman Trea Turner has reached 12 stolen bases in 28 games, thanks to a pair of thefts in Monday's game.

He is third among rookies behind Milwaukee's Keon Broxton (14) and Atlanta's Mallex Smith (14). San Diego's Travis Jankowski leads the way with 25 stolen bases. Amazingly, all three of the players n front of him have already played at least 18 more games than Turner has so far this season.

Catcher Wilson Ramos now has 19 homers on the season which ranks seventh in franchise history for most home runs in a season by a catcher. Former Expos backstop Gary Carter has the first six marks, including the top spot of 31 homers in 1977.

Including Monday, seven of Ramos' last 10 homers have broken a tie and put the Nationals ahead.

The Nationals announced today they have signed a new two-year player development contract extension with the Hagerstown Suns of the Single-A South Atlantic League. The extension is for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

The Nats began their relationship with the Suns in 2007 after previously working with Savannah. The location of Hagerstown has been beneficial for the club for rehab assignments and the relative ease player development staff can get to Municipal Stadium versus Savannah, Georgia.

The Suns went 43-27 (.614) to claim the South Atlantic League Northern Division title in the first half of the 2016 season, clinching a spot in the postseason. Manager Patrick Anderson has guided the Suns to an overall record of 71-49 (.592).

From the Nats release:

"We are pleased to extend our player development contract with the Hagerstown Suns, a relationship we have had now for nine-plus years," general manager and president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo said. "The Suns play an integral role in developing the next wave of talent to advance through our system. Some of our best players have spent time learning how to play the game the 'Nationals Way' while in Hagerstown. We're glad to continue our working relationship with them."