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Zimmerman's grand slam fuels Nats past Padres

Jul 7, 2013 - 9:30 PM Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Ryan Zimmerman initially tried to avoid the attention.

He quickly retreated to his teammates in the dugout amidst the hysteria in the stands, but Jayson Werth waited outside the batter's box.

Zimmerman had no choice but to step to the top step of the dugout, raise his right hand to the crowd and take his curtain call moments after his grand slam in the third inning led the Washington Nationals to their fourth win in a row, an 11-7 victory against the San Diego Padres in the finale of a three-game set.

Zimmerman knocked in four runs on his fourth career grand slam and scored twice on the day.

Bryce Harper, who snapped an 0-for-19 skid Saturday, continued to reverse his fortunes. Harper had three hits, an RBI, two runs, and two stolen bases.

Stephen Strasburg (5-6) earned the win without his best command. He gave up four runs on seven hits in six innings. Strasburg walked two and hit three batters. He also struck out nine.

Chase Headley had three hits including a pair of doubles. He knocked in a run and scored another in the Padres' ninth straight loss.

Robbie Erlin (1-2) was tagged for nine runs on six hits and four walks in four-plus innings in his fourth career start.

The Nationals took the lead in the first after Denard Span had a leadoff single, moved to third on a wild pitch and a ground out, then came home on a Harper single.

San Diego tied the game in the third when Headley's double to right-center field plated Carlos Quentin.

Washington quickly regained the lead with some insurance. Strasburg and Ian Desmond walked and Harper singled to load the bases. Zimmerman then jumped on a first-pitch fastball and drove it over the right-field fence to give the Nats a 5-1 lead.

The Nationals continued their rally. Werth followed the blast with a base hit and Anthony Rendon crushed a fastball over the left-field fence to score two more and make the score 7-1.

San Diego's Alexi Amarista hit a two-run home run in the fourth, but the Nationals tacked on four more in the fifth to open up an 11-3 lead.

Harper scored on an errant throw with Zimmerman swiping second base, Rendon singled home Zimmerman, Werth later scored on a double play, and Strasburg capped the rally with a base hit to plate Rendon.

San Diego picked up four runs between the sixth and eighth innings, but Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard combined to retire the final six San Diego hitters in order to finish off an 11-7 win.

Game Notes

Washington is 11-5 in its last 16 games against San Diego ... The Nationals franchise swept the Padres for the first time since May 6-8, 2003 as the Montreal Expos ... San Diego wrapped up a 10-game road trip with a 1-9 record ... Headley has a career .386 average (27-for-70) with nine doubles at Nationals Park ... Washington went 5-for-13 with runners in scoring position while San Diego went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.