WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Curtis Mead hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Washington Nationals to a 6-4 win over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
Nasim Nu\u00f1ez tripled twice and scored three times for the Nationals, who will go for a three-game sweep Wednesday after handing Kansas City its sixth loss in seven games. The Royals are a season-high 16 games under .500.<\/p>\n
Paxton Schultz (1-2) got the win in relief, and Gus Varland pitched the ninth \u2014 allowing a solo homer by ex-National Lane Thomas \u2014 for his sixth save. Daniel Lynch IV (2-1) took the loss.<\/p>\n
Nationals starter Foster Griffin allowed a run and six hits in six innings with two walks and six strikeouts. A first-round draft pick of Kansas City\u2019s a dozen years ago, Griffin has allowed one run or fewer in four of his last five outings.<\/p>\n
But Isaac Collins tied it at 3 for the Royals with a two-run single in the seventh. The Nats answered immediately. Nu\u00f1ez drew a leadoff walk and then hustled to beat shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to second base, turning James Wood\u2019s roller up the middle from a double play into a regular 6-3 grounder.<\/p>\n
After Nu\u00f1ez stole third without a throw, pinch-hitter Andr\u00e9s Chaparro drew a walk and Mead sent a drive to left-center field for his 11th homer of the season.<\/p>\n
The Royals are a major league-worst 3-17 in 20 games this year against left-handed starters.<\/p>\n
Michael Wacha allowed three runs in six innings for Kansas City\u2019s 35th quality start of the season. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers have more, but Kansas City is just 19-16 in those games.<\/p>\n
Nu\u00f1ez opened the scoring with an RBI triple in the third, then scored on Wood\u2019s sacrifice fly. After Witt singled home a run for the Royals in the fifth, Nu\u00f1ez led off the bottom half with another three-base hit. Wood again brought him home, this time with a single.<\/p>\n
Nu\u00f1ez, the Washington second baseman, also made a diving catch of Tyler Tolbert\u2019s flare to shallow right field in the second.<\/p>\n