Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman homered, and starter Joe Ross allowed only a bunt single in six innings as the Washington Nationals beat the San Diego Padres 4-2 on Thursday night.
Zimmerman went 2 for 4 with two RBIs. His run-scoring single in the fifth gave the Nationals the lead for good at 2-1.
Werth, who went 2 for 4, added a solo homer off San Diego starter Andrew Cashner (5-13) in the sixth. Zimmerman greeted reliever Kevin Quackenbush with a homer to start the seventh.
Zimmerman finished the series with eight RBIs in three games.
Ross (5-5) won his second straight start, allowing the bunt single by Corey Spangenberg and one run in six innings. The right-hander struck out seven and walked two.
Jonathan Papelbon closed it in the ninth with his fourth save since joining Washington despite giving up a run on Yonder Alonso’s two-out single.
The Padres finished with only three hits.
Spangenberg led off the fourth with the bunt single in front of the plate. He ended up at third on the play when catcher Wilson Ramos made a wild throw.
Yangervis Solarte followed with a sacrifice fly that gave San Diego a 1-0 lead.
The Nationals took the lead with two runs in the fifth. Cashner hit Yunel Escobar on the wrist with the bases loaded — the third baseman left the game an inning later — and Zimmerman added his tie-breaking single one batter later.
San Diego missed on a good scoring chance against Casey Janssen in the seventh after Melvin Upton, Jr.’s two-out triple. Washington manager Matt Williams then moved some players around after center fielder Michael A. Taylor got hurt on the play and needed to leave, and Anthony Rendon went to third.
Rendon made a diving stop on pinch-hitter Jedd Gyorko’s shot down the line and threw him out to prevent a run and keep Washington’s lead at 3-1.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.