Washington Nationals’ lineup for series opener with the Colorado Rockies in D.C.

Washington ended a streak of 17 scoreless innings which stretched back to Arizona with a big eighth inning on Wednesday night, then the Nationals’ offense exploded yesterday in their 15-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

It started early, and didn’t stop for a few brutal innings that had fans in the nation’s capital in a frenzy as homer after homer (eight total) left the yard, four straight and five overall in the third inning.

Bryce Harper, Brian Goodwin (2), Wilmer Difo, Anthony Rendon Ryan Zimmerman (2), and Jose Lobaton left the yard in the seven-run third, and the Nationals added six in the fourth.

“Harp got us on the board right away and it’s always good when you can get the lead, especially early with Max [Scherzer] pitching,” Dusty Baker said after the win, “and so then we kept padding the lead which is outstanding. Goody had a good day, there are some guys that had very good days. Evidently when you get 19 hits, quite a few guys had days — and it was nice to see Loby get on the hit parade too.

“I don’t think anybody was shut out, and to see [Andrew] Stevenson get his first hit and the guys were kind of kidding that he got it off [Hernan] Perez, but it doesn’t matter.”

Baker talked about the recent contributions from Goodwin and Difo in particular after the two combined for five hits and four runs scored in the win, noting that they hadn’t had a lot of major league experience before this season, and they’re producing while a couple other injured Nationals work their way back.

“A lot of teams you see guys get overexposed the more they play, but Goody and Difo, I mean, they’re playing well and they’re going to play better,” Baker said, “and then we get our other guys back that just adds to their sharpness cause they’ve had a bunch of at bats. And so we certainly need them to get on base, that’s what I talk to them about every day, ‘You guys have got to set the table for the other guys.’ Hitting home runs is fine, but scoring runs is your main objective and getting on base in the one-two-spot.”

Goody and Difo are back on top of the lineup again tonight as the Nationals (weather permitting) start a three-game set with the Colorado Rockies.

HERE’S THE NATS’ LINEUP FOR THE SERIES OPENER WITH THE ROCKIES: