Brewers 5 - 8 Nationals
Final
  for this game

Ramos returns and lifts Nationals over Brewers

Jul 4, 2013 - 9:45 PM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Wilson Ramos supplied the Fourth of July fireworks in his return from the disabled list.

Ramos drove in two with a bases-loaded single in the sixth, then crushed a tiebreaking three-run homer an inning later to lift the Washington Nationals to an 8-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Washington reliever Drew Storen blew a three-run lead after Ramos, who had been on shelf since straining his left hamstring in mid-May, sent a grounder up the middle to put the Nationals up 5-2.

Storen (3-2) gave up a pair of homers in the seventh, a solo blast by Yuniesky Betancourt and a two-run shot by Carlos Gomez with two outs.

The Washington catcher, however, delivered a clutch, two-out hit of his own in the home half of the frame. Ramos followed a Anthony Rendon walk with a smash to left field off Brandon Kintzler, who replaced Tom Gorzelanny (1-1) after Jayson Werth singled to extend the inning.

"They were waiting for me, for my return," Ramos said. "I'm happy, happy for this day. Hopefully, I will help the team win a lot of games."

Milwaukee threatened in the ninth, putting two men in scoring position, but Rafael Soriano retired Jonathan Lucroy on an infield pop up to record his 22nd save and help the Nationals salvage a split of this four-game series.

Lucroy opened the scoring with a two-out, RBI single in the first, but the Nationals responded with a two-out rally in the bottom of the inning as Adam LaRoche and Werth each singled home a run off Milwaukee rookie Donovan Hand.

A sacrifice fly by Ryan Zimmerman extended the lead to 3-1 in the third before Washington's Taylor Jordan, making his second career start, surrendered a run- scoring single to Juan Francisco in the sixth.

"(The Nationals) could have blown open that game," Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said. "(Hand) made some nice pitches to keep it there and give us a chance to tie it up."

Game Notes

The five RBI were a career high for Ramos ... Jordan gave up six hits in 5 2/3 innings ... Hand tossed five frames and allowed six hits with three walks ... The Nationals optioned catcher Jhonatan Solano to Triple-A Syracuse to make room for Ramos.






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