LOS ANGELES -- On Aug. 1, the Nationals couldn't touch then-Phillies right-hander Roberto Hernandez at Nationals Park. He pitched eight innings without allowing an earned run in a one-run Philadelphia victory.One month later, it was a different story against the right-hander. The Nationals hit four home runs and downed Hernandez and the Dodgers, 6-4, at Dodgers Stadium on Monday evening. 
With the victory, Washington's National League East lead grew to seven games as four Phillies pitchers no-hit the Braves earlier in the day.The Nationals were able to get to Hernandez in the first inning, when Jayson Werth hit a 2-2 pitch over the center-field wall for his 16th home run.But Los Angeles scored two runs of their own against left-hander Gio Gonzalez as Matt Kemp hit a mammoth two-run home run over the right-field wall to give L.A. a one-run lead after one inning.Gonzalez settled down after that, retiring 17 out of the next 18 hitters he faced.By the third inning, the Nationals gave Gonzalez the lead. Both Asdrubal Cabrera and Denard Span hit solo home runs for a one-run Washington lead. Two innings later, Span went yard again. This time it was a two-run homer. Span has hit three home runs in his last four games, and it was the second time in his career he has hit two homers in a game.In the last four games, the Nationals have hit 14 home runs.The Nationals scored their final run off reliever Brandon League in the seventh inning. After hitting a leadoff double, Gonzalez scored on a double by Anthony Rendon to make it a four-run game.Gonzalez left the game in the seventh inning after allowing consecutive singles to Kemp and Scott Van Slyke. Drew Storen entered, and two batters later, Juan Uribe singled to center field to make it a three-run game. After A.J. Ellis flied out, left-hander Matt Thornton struck out Justin Turner to end the threat.Tyler Clippard pitched a scoreless eighth, while the Dodgers got a run off Nationals closer Rafael Soriano in the ninth before pinch-hitter Joc Pederson, representing the winning run in his first big league at-bat, struck out to end the game.Bill Ladson / MLB.com
With the victory, Washington's National League East lead grew to seven games as four Phillies pitchers no-hit the Braves earlier in the day.The Nationals were able to get to Hernandez in the first inning, when Jayson Werth hit a 2-2 pitch over the center-field wall for his 16th home run.But Los Angeles scored two runs of their own against left-hander Gio Gonzalez as Matt Kemp hit a mammoth two-run home run over the right-field wall to give L.A. a one-run lead after one inning.Gonzalez settled down after that, retiring 17 out of the next 18 hitters he faced.By the third inning, the Nationals gave Gonzalez the lead. Both Asdrubal Cabrera and Denard Span hit solo home runs for a one-run Washington lead. Two innings later, Span went yard again. This time it was a two-run homer. Span has hit three home runs in his last four games, and it was the second time in his career he has hit two homers in a game.In the last four games, the Nationals have hit 14 home runs.The Nationals scored their final run off reliever Brandon League in the seventh inning. After hitting a leadoff double, Gonzalez scored on a double by Anthony Rendon to make it a four-run game.Gonzalez left the game in the seventh inning after allowing consecutive singles to Kemp and Scott Van Slyke. Drew Storen entered, and two batters later, Juan Uribe singled to center field to make it a three-run game. After A.J. Ellis flied out, left-hander Matt Thornton struck out Justin Turner to end the threat.Tyler Clippard pitched a scoreless eighth, while the Dodgers got a run off Nationals closer Rafael Soriano in the ninth before pinch-hitter Joc Pederson, representing the winning run in his first big league at-bat, struck out to end the game.Bill Ladson / MLB.com
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
