WASHINGTON _ The Washington Nationals have had their hands full with the Milwaukee Brewers this season but avoided getting swept at home Wednesday.
Smacking three home runs off Brewers starter Matt Garza, the Nationals pulled away to a 7-4 victory in a late-afternoon contest at Nationals Park.
By denying the Brewers a three-game sweep, Washington won for only the second time in six meetings between the clubs this season.
Garza took his second loss on the trip that began in St. Louis, allowing eight hits and seven runs in only 41/3 innings. Garza had not allowed a home run in four starts since coming off the disabled list before surrendering three to the Nationals.
The game got off to a rough start for Garza when Ben Revere and Jayson Werth singled to open Washington's first inning. Daniel Murphy flied out to left but Bryce Harper lined a 1-1 changeup over the fence in left-center field for a home run and quick 3-0 lead.
The Nationals' lead grew by a run when catcher Jose Lobaton led off the bottom of the second with a home run to right-center. It was the second homer of the season for the .185-hitting backup and both have come against the Brewers.
Down, 4-0, entering the third inning, the Brewers roared back against Nationals starter Tanner Roark to tie the game. The rally started with singles by Hernan Perez and Ramon Flores, who stayed put when Garza was unable to get a bunt down.
A single to right by Jonathan Villar loaded the bases, setting the stage for a two-run single up the middle by Scooter Gennett. With the runners moving, Jonathan Lucroy singled through the vacated third base spot to knock in another run and make it a one-run game.
Lucroy broke for second as Chris Carter struck out and when Lobaton threw down to second, Lucroy stopped and Gennett made a dash for the plate. Murphy moved up and caught Lobaton's throw on the move but fired high to the plate and Gennett scored the tying run on the front end of what became a double steal.
It did not stay tied for long, however. With two down in the bottom of the inning, Ryan Zimmerman drew a walk, moved up on a wild pitch and scored when Stephen Drew sent a drive to left-center that bounded over the wall for a ground-rule double.
The Nationals used the long ball once again to boost their lead to 7-4 in the fifth. With one down, Garza hit Anthony Rendon with a pitch and Zimmerman crushed a 1-0 slider out to center field for his 12th home run of the season.
After the Brewers' four-run outburst in the third inning, Roark settled down and found little other trouble. He went seven innings, allowing seven hits with a walk and six strikeouts, picking up his second victory this season against Milwaukee _ the only two Washington had in six meetings.
