Nats pound D-backs

Phoenix, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) - Ryan Zimmerman smacked a three-run homer, Wilson Ramos ripped a three-run double and the Washington Nationals pounded the Arizona Diamondbacks 11-1 in the opener of a three-game set.

Max Scherzer (3-3) struck out six and allowed a run on five hits and a walk over seven innings for the Nationals, who have won eight of their last nine games.

Denard Span launched a solo shot and Yunel Escobar went 5-for-5 with an RBI and a pair of runs scored in the triumph.

"Tonight we got big hits," Washington manager Matt Williams said. "We got some opportunities early and took advantage."

Josh Collmenter (3-4) surrendered nine runs on eight hits and a walk over 1 1/3 frames for Arizona, which had won four of its last six games coming in.

The Nationals raced out to a 10-0 lead after plating four runs in the first inning and six more in the second.

"It was over early, but it counts as just one loss," Arizona manager Chip Hale said.

Span led off the game with his solo shot to right. Escobar singled and Jayson Werth walked prior to a Bryce Harper flyout, but Zimmerman whacked his three-run blast off the billboard hanging below the concourse in left-center.

Three consecutive base hits to begin the second by Danny Espinosa, Scherzer and Span pushed across a run. A single from Escobar filled the bases and a Werth sacrifice fly to center scored Scherzer. Harper banged a single to right-center to plate Span and Vidal Nuno replaced Collmenter on the mound.

Zimmerman walked and Ramos cleared the bases with a double down the left-field line to make it 10-0.

Washington added another run in the fifth on an Escobar RBI single and Jordan Pacheco's homer in the sixth finally got the D-backs on the board.

Game Notes

Zimmerman's blast was his fourth of the season ... Harper has 29 RBI on the year ... Washington was 6-for-12 with runners in scoring position, while Arizona finished 0-for-5 with RISP.