Nats pound Padres, 10-0, now half-game back in NL East

That 7-13 Nats start seems so earlier this year now. Washington put four on the board in the first and coasted to a 10-0 whitewash of the San Diego Padres Friday night, moving the Nationals to a half-game back of the first-place New York Mets in the National League East.

The first five Nats hitters reached in the first off Padres starter Odrisamer Despaigne (2-2), who lasted only three innings, giving up seven runs on 10 hits.

Jordan Zimmerman (3-2) had an easy night of it with the big early lead, giving up six hits in six scoreless innings, striking out six and walking one.

Bryce Harper hit his 13th homer of the year, a solo shot in the fourth, part of his 3-for-4 night that raised his season batting average to .317.