Nats beat Brewers with long-ball barrage

  The Washington Nationals exploded for eight home runs -- including four in a row and five overall in the third inning alone -- in a 15-2 Major League Baseball win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday.

"What a team we have, what a lineup we have," Bryce Harper said after the Nats matched the club record for homers in a game.

"It's super-special and a lot of fun to be part of that," Harper added. "When you have that type of talent in your lineup and momentum going, anything can happen."

After Nats pitcher Max Scherzer drew a walk in the third, Brian Goodwin started the home run derby with a two-run blast to right field off Brewers hurler Michael Blazek.

Wilmer Difo, Harper and Ryan Zimmerman followed with solo homers to give the Nats a 7-0 lead.

Washington were the first major league team to hit home runs in four consecutive at-bats since Arizona in 2010.

"I honestly didn't (know)," Zimmerman said. "I looked over at (Goodwin) and I went, 'Is that four home runs in a row?' I don't know. I was just watching everyone hit home runs. I'm just glad I put a good swing. On my first bat, I struck out on three pitches. It was a good way to turn it around."

The amped-up crowd at Nationals Park groaned when Daniel Murphy broke the streak with a fly out to center.

But Anthony Rendon turned the power back on when he stepped up and belted the hosts' fifth homer of the inning.

The Nationals became just the sixth team in major league history to hit five home runs in one inning.

The last time it happened was in 2006 -- when the Brewers accomplished the feat.

- 'We'll take it' -

"Well, I don't think I've ever seen that," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. "I've seen back-to-back-to-back but not four in a row. It's like you almost can't believe it. And we'll take it."

Blazek, pressed into starting duty on short notice because of Matt Garza's calf injury, was left reeling. He became the ninth pitcher since 1900 to allow six home runs in a game, and the first since James Shields in 2010.

His total number of outs recorded -- seven -- barely topped the six home runs he surrendered.

"They were just locked in on everything," Blazek said after the first major league start of his career ended in ignominy. "I feel like I threw all the different pitches I had and they were hitting it. It's not how I pictured it going."

The Nationals added six runs in the fourth inning, when Zimmerman and Jose Lobaton each homered. Harper had also homered in the first.

The high-octane offense meant Nats pitcher Max Scherzer could cruise through the start on his 33rd birthday.

He gave up three hits in six innings, striking out nine. With 201 strikeouts, Scherzer has reached the 200 strikeout plateau for the sixth straight season.

"When you see the offense swinging the bats like that, you just go out there and want to attack, to keep going," Scherzer said. "That's what makes us so dangerous. We have power all the way through the lineup and if you miss your spots, as an offense, we can really do some damage."

source: AFP