Nationals vs. Braves: Bryce Harper homers as Washington wins, 8-4

ATLANTA —The Washington Nationals began a nine-game, 10-day trip on Monday that they would use to measure themselves against the National League East. Five games in, even after Stephen Strasburg blew a four-run lead Saturday afternoon, the construct has flipped. It is the division, perhaps, that needs to measure itself against the Nationals, their surging offense and their 19-year-old force of nature that does not come equipped with an off switch.

The Nationals’ bats thumped to life again in an 8-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves, clinching their second straight road series win against a division rival. Danny Espinosa drilled a three-run home run in the second. Bryce Harper highlighted the Nationals’ late rally with a missile of a solo home run. Tom Gorzelanny added three innings of scoreless relief to put a stranglehold on the game — and, for what it’s worth in late May, the NL East.

(John Bazemore/Associated Press) - Washington Nationals center fielder Bryce Harper reaches for a ball hit for a two-run home run by Atlanta Braves' Dan Uggla (26) in the fifth inning.

(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) - Stephen Strasburg of the Washington Nationals pitches to the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.

“To spank them in their home park, that’s big,” Manager Davey Johnson said. “Scoring seven runs a couple games in a row, I feel like I’m on vacation.”

During their first two days at Turner Field, the Nationals have turned an early-season showdown into a beat-down. They entered the weekend with a one-game lead, and as they head into their second “Sunday Night Baseball” showcase this month, the Nationals have pulled three games ahead of the Braves, with the Miami Marlins and New York Mets moving into a tie for second, 2¹ / ₂ games out. Halfway through their late-May test, the Nationals are 4-1.

“It’s gets you good momentum,” Espinosa said. “It gets you confidence as a team to go out there and just play, have a feeling that we’re going to win. We’re feeling good. We’re hot. We can go out there and beat anybody.”

The Nationals, whose offense sputtered through April, have scored at least five runs in five of their past seven games. Even before their 12-hit, two-homer outburst Saturday, they ranked fourth in the majors with a .452 slugging percentage in May.

The Nationals scored one run in the first inning after Espinosa, sporting bloomer-style pants with high socks, led off with a double against left-handed Braves starter Mike Minor. They added three more when Espinosa belted his fifth homer.

The Nationals still have an elite starting rotation, but they no longer rely on it. After Strasburg’s performance, they had to be thankful for that. Strasburg yielded four runs in five innings on six hits and four walks, the most he’s issued since the second start of his career.

“He’s usually picking us up,” Johnson said. “We picked him up today.”

After his last start, Strasburg said he felt fatigue in his arm. Over his last three outings, Strasburg has not recorded an out past the fifth inning and has allowed nine earned runs in 14 innings. His ERA rose to 2.64 Saturday.

“I just don’t think he had a good feel for his fastball,” Johnson said. “Sometimes, you get where you can’t locate with your main pitch. I’ve never seen it happen with him. But there’s nothing physically wrong with him.”