Washington Nationals rally, take opener from Rockies

Max Scherzer had an off-night. Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth didn’t, and the Washington Nationals took advantage.

Harper had three hits, Werth had two, including a two-run homer, and the Nats topped the Colorado Rockies, 5-4, at Coors Field Monday night.

Scherzer (12-7, 2.95 ERA, 0.94 WHIP) gave up three runs in the first, and didn’t make it to the fifth, giving up four runs on seven hits in four innings of work, on 97 pitches.

This is the kind of win that good baseball teams put on the ledger. The Washington bullpen put in five innings of scoreless relief, allowing just three baserunners.

Sammy Solis (2-3, 2.35 ERA, 1.30 WHIP) was credited with the win with a scoreless inning of relief.

Mark Melancon (34 saves, 1.48 ERA, 0.88 WHIP) earned the save with a 1-2-3 ninth, needing just four pitches to get the three outs.

Harper (.240/.382/.450, 20 HR, 59 RBI) was 3-for-3 with two doubles, two walks and an RBI.

Werth (.255/.345/.455, 16 HR, 53 RBI) was 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI.

Wilson Ramos (.331/.379/.546, 19 HR, 66 RBI) hit a solo homer in the sixth.

The Nationals (70-47) have an eight and a half game lead on Miami (62-56) in the NL East.