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Rendon, Nationals edge Astros

Jun 18, 2014 - 6:38 AM Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - Anthony Rendon drove in three runs on two doubles and the Washington Nationals held on for a 6-5 victory over the Houston Astros.

Ryan Zimmerman had two doubles, two RBI and a run scored for Washington, which snapped a four-game skid.

"We scored enough," said Nationals manager Matt Williams. "They have been putting up a lot of runs too. It was good to see the offense come alive."

Starter Tanner Roark (6-4) earned the win after surrendering just one run on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts over five innings.

Jose Altuve finished 4-for-5 with two RBI and one run scored for the Astros, who have lost three of their last four. Dallas Keuchel (8-4) gave up four runs on six hits and four walks in five innings in the loss.

"I was kind of battling to find my stuff all night," said Keuchel. "I felt fortunate enough to get through five, especially the way I was pitching and the way that lineup was swinging the bat."

Houston got within one off Tyler Clippard in the eighth. Jason Castro singled and Matt Dominguez doubled before Jonathan Villar's single brought around Castro. With men on first and third, Clippard struck out pinch-hitter Chris Carter and Alex Presley.

However, Dexter Fowler's fly ball into shallow left scored Dominguez and Altuve's two-run double chased Clippard from the game and made it a 6-5 contest.

Rafael Soriano tossed a scoreless ninth, pitching around a one-out walk for his 14th save of the season.

The Nationals opened the scoring in the first. Denard Span got aboard with a leadoff single and came home on Rendon's double to deep center. After Adam LaRoche walked, Zimmerman's double off the wall in center plated LaRoche.

In the third, Jayson Werth took a one-out walk and hustled home on Zimmerman's double to right-center field. Ian Desmond's two-bagger to shallow left plated Zimmerman, making it a 4-0 game.

Altuve, George Springer and Jon Singleton all singled to load the bases for Houston with no outs in the fourth. Two batters later, Dominguez's grounder bounced off the foot of Roark for an RBI infield single. Roark avoided further damage after Villar flied out and Robbie Grossman struck out.

Washington tacked on two more runs in the sixth. Scott Hairston walked and Span singled off Darin Downs. Kyle Farnsworth took over and was greeted by a Rendon double to left that gave the Nationals a 6-1 lead.

Game Notes

Washington won its seventh straight game against Houston ... Altuve started at second base for the first time in three games after being struck in the hand by a pitch on June 12 against Arizona ... Washington's nine-game errorless streak came to an end after Rendon's throwing error in the seventh. The streak spanned 89 1/3 innings ... The Nationals improved to 31-2 when scoring four or more runs ... Keuchel lost his first road start of the season.