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WASHINGTON -- Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper said after Sunday's game that "hitting is contagious." And so is drawing walks and getting extra-base knocks, at least for the Nationals in their series finale against the Milwaukee Brewers.
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Catcher Wilson Ramos and third baseman Anthony Rendon, who have both battled recent slumps, hit home runs during a four-run fifth inning and the Nationals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-5 on Sunday to avoid losing more ground in the National League East.
Washington had seven extra-base hits, including five doubles, and drew seven walks off the beleaguered Brewers staff.
"If we keep winning series we will be just fine," said Harper, who tripped up the Brewers defense by hitting two doubles to the opposite field in left. "We had good at-bats."
Left fielder Jayson Werth, recently moved to the leadoff spot, set the table as he had a double, drew two walks and scored twice one night after getting thrown out on the bases twice.
"Offensive approach is important. Jayson saw a lot of pitches," said Washington manager Matt Williams, whose team saw 148 pitches.
Ramos had two hits while Rendon drove in three runs with his homer and walked and scored twice for the Nationals, who prevailed despite allowing three homers.
The Nationals (62-61), who took two of three games in the series, began the day five games back of the first-place New York Mets. The Brewers (53-72) dropped to a respectable 16-14 against the National League East.
"They had a bunch of walks," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "They had two-out hits that extended innings and they had some big two-out hits."
Washington scored four runs in the fifth to build the lead to 9-3. Ramos hit a solo homer -- his 10th of the year -- off starter Matt Garza (6-14), and Rendon smashed his three-run shot into the Brewers bullpen in left against reliever Corey Knebel.
Ramos entered the game hitting .165 in his last 30 games, while Rendon was batting .192 in his previous 15 contests.
Brewers left fielder Khris Davis hit a solo homer in the eighth -- his ninth of the month -- off former closer Drew Storen to trim the margin to 9-5. But new closer Jonathan Papelbon got the last three outs in the ninth in a non-save situation in his first outing since Wednesday.
Milwaukee third baseman Elian Herrera hit an RBI double to trim the lead to 9-4 in the sixth off Washington starter Jordan Zimmermann (10-8), who gave up four runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings but has not lost at home since June 17.
"They made me battle. I threw a lot of pitches. My pitch count was up," Zimmermann said.
Before the four-run rally in the fifth by the Nationals, the Brewers had narrowed the margin to 5-3 in the top of the fifth on a solo homer by Scooter Gennett, the second hit for the second baseman.
In the third, Washington scored four runs to take a 5-2 lead. Shortstop Ian Desmond drove in the first run on a high chopper for a single with the bases loaded that Garza couldn't handle. Second baseman Danny Espinosa followed with a line drive off the scoreboard in right for a double to clear the bases.
"You have to make it perfect. I don't think he would have got him," Counsell said of the play by Garza on the hit by Desmond. "He still had the opportunity to get out of that inning. He had six walks today; he got ahead of hitters OK. He got to two strikes OK; just a little trouble finishing."
Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman had a two-out RBI double off the wall in the first to cut the lead to 2-1. That came after the Brewers had grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first on a two-run homer by catcher Jonathan Lucroy.
Brewers right fielder Ryan Braun and shortstop Jean Segura each had two hits.
"We just need to win series," Zimmermann said. "This was a big one."
NOTES: Washington RHP Stephen Strasburg (7-6, 4.22 ERA) is on track to face his hometown team when the Nationals begin a series at home against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. Strasburg will be opposed by RHP James Shields (9-5, 3.74 ERA). ... Brewers RHP Wily Peralta (4-7, 4.48 ERA) will oppose RHP Josh Tomlin (1-1, 2.03 ERA) in the series opener Tuesday in Cleveland. ... Washington SS Ian Desmond and Milwaukee 2B Scooter Gennett, both in the starting lineup Sunday, are products of Sarasota High in Florida. They were not teammates in high school. ... Washington RF Bryce Harper entered Sunday as the league leader in homers (31), on-base average (.455) and slugging (.638). ... Milwaukee LF Khris Davis entered Sunday with eight homers in August, tied for first in the National League. His 21 RBIs for the month led the league. He added a homer and one RBI on Sunday. ... Washington CF Michael A. Taylor, with a homer in the last three games before Sunday, hit No. 8 in the lineup again and was batting .244 with 13 homers entering the game. He began the day with 15 steals, the most of any rookie in the league.
