ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Wilson Ramos homered twice off position players, Bryce Harper and Clint Robinson also went deep, and the Washington Nationals routed the Tampa Bay Rays 16-4 on Tuesday night.
With the game out of reach, Rays manager Kevin Cash used infielders Jake Elmore and Nick Franklin to pitch the final two innings. Ramos hit a solo shot against Elmore in the eighth and added a two-run drive off Franklin in the ninth to finish with four RBIs.
Harper hit his 22nd homer this season and finished a triple shy of the cycle with a walk. His long solo shot to center off C.J. Riefenhauser during a four-run fifth that gave Washington a 10-0 lead. The ball landed on protective netting near a fish tank that is home to a group of cownose rays.
 
Ramos homers twice off position players, Nats rout Rays
 
Robinson had a leadoff homer among his four hits and added an RBI double off Alex Colome during a six-run second inning that put the Nationals up 6-0.
Danny Espinosa had a career-high five hits and was hit by a pitch from Franklin, but he was the only Washington starter not to have an RBI.
Tanner Roark (3-2) allowed one run and six hits over seven innings.
Yunel Escobar drove in three runs, one of eight Washington starters driving in at least one run.
Colome (3-3) gave up six runs, seven hits and three walks over two innings as Tampa Bay lost for just the fifth time in 17 games.
Rene Rivera hit a three-run homer in the ninth for the Rays.
Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria had two hits one day after leaving with a bruised left wrist, the result of being hit by a pitch Monday in the fifth inning.
Franklin pinch-hit for Longoria in the fifth with the Rays down 10-1. Joey Butler had a run-scoring grounder earlier in the inning.
 

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