WASHINGTON – Bryce Harper homered on his first swing since coming off the disabled list and his Washington Nationals teammates quickly joined in, beating the slumping Milwaukee Brewers 10-5 on Monday night.

After missing 31 games with bursitis in his left knee — the most lingering fallout from his collision with the Dodger Stadium wall — Harper energized the Nationals and sparked their second rout in two days. After toying with .500 for the entire month of June, Washington moved two games above the break-even mark for the first time since late May.

Jayson Werth had five RBI, and even pitcher Jordan Zimmermann was an offensive juggernaut with a team-high three hits, including a double to start a five-run third inning and a single to open a two-run fourth.

Working with an 8-0 lead, Zimmermann (12-3) pitched six innings and allowed four runs to tie unbeaten Max Scherzer of the Detroit Tigers for the major league lead in wins.

The Nationals have won 5 of 7 to pull within six games of the first-place Atlanta Braves in the NL East.

MARLINS 4, PADRES 0: Jose Fernandez struck out 10 and allowed only two hits in a career-high eight innings, and host Miami matched a season high with its third consecutive victory.

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Jeff Mathis delivered the big hit for the second game in a row, raising his batting average to .154.

Mathis’ ninth-inning grand slam beat the Padres on Sunday.

The Marlins are 16-10 since June 1, and they’ve won 6 of 7.

REDS 8, GIANTS 1: Todd Frazier homered and drove in four runs, leading host Cincinnati out of its offensive slump in a game shortened to six innings because of rain.

Frazier had an RBI single and a three-run homer off left-hander Mike Kickham (0-3), who has been hit hard in each of his three major league starts.

Rain halted the game after the sixth. The umpires waited 1 hour, 28 minutes before calling it.

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AMERICAN LEAGUE

BLUE JAYS 8, TIGERS 3: R.A. Dickey won again, Jose Reyes and Mark DeRosa homered and Toronto collected its seventh straight home win.

YANKEES 10, TWINS 4: Robinson Cano homered twice and Andy Pettitte broke Whitey Ford’s club record for career strikeouts to help visiting New York snap a five-game skid.

Zoilo Almonte had three hits and two RBI as the slumbering Yankees’ offense woke up with seven runs in the last two innings to reach double digits for the first time since May 10.

RAYS 12, ASTROS 0: Matt Moore allowed two hits in seven scoreless innings for his 11th win, and Ryan Roberts hit a pair of homers to give Tampa Bay a win at Houston.

 


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