Anthony Rendon homered twice and drove in five runs, Joe Ross returned from the minors to allow one run over a career high-tying eight innings, and the Washington Nationals routed the Seattle Mariners 10-1 on Tuesday night.
Bryce Harper added his 14th homer and Jayson Werth hit his seventh off Chris Bergman (1-2), who allowed all of the Nationals’ runs and 14 of their 15 hits.
Rendon doubled before his second homer — and seventh of the season — completed an eight-run fourth inning. Ryan Zimmerman also had three hits.
Mike Zunino homered off Ross (2-0) in his return from his own minor league stint. Robinson Cano was hitless in his first game back from the disabled list following a thigh injury as Seattle dropped its fourth straight.
Ross showed no signs of the late April struggles that ended with a demotion to Triple-A Syracuse. He yielded five hits and a walk while striking out six, and retired 12 straight batters after a leadoff single to begin the game.
By the time Seattle finally put multiple runners aboard, Washington had already opened a 10-0 lead.
Rendon’s second-inning shot around the left field foul pole made it 2-0.
Then Werth, Harper and Rendon all connected in the fourth, helping the Nationals score seven of their eight runs in the inning with two outs.
Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger (oblique) is expected to join the club Wednesday and work out in Washington before being sent on a rehab assignment, manager Scott Servais said.
Nationals infielder Stephen Drew (hamstring) has been sent to Florida to play in rehab games at extended spring training, manager Dusty Baker said.
Bergman came within one of club records for most hits (15), runs (11) and home runs (five) allowed. Jamie Moyer owns a share of latter two.
Washington’s 62 runs scored over Ross’s first four starts is the most support a starter has received over that span in major league history, according to the Nationals PR Twitter account via Elias Sports Bureau.
Mariners rookie righty Sam Gaviglio (0-0, 1.29) looks to build upon his first big league start, when he threw five shutout innings against the Chicago White Sox last Thursday.
Nationals righty Tanner Roark hasn’t seen much of Seattle, but hopes for a better outcome Wednesday than when he allowed them a season-high 11 hits (and four earned runs) on Aug. 31, 2014.
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