WASHINGTON – Nationals manager Dave Martinez wanted his team to shake off any ill effects from Saturday's 14-inning loss to Milwaukee by getting out to a fast start in the series finale.
The Nationals carried out that order.
The Nationals matched a team record with eight home runs — two each by Brian Dozier and Juan Soto — in a 16-8 rout of the Brewers on Sunday.
Matt Adams and Victor Robles hit back-to-back homers in the first to give the Nationals a 4-0 lead, and Anthony Rendon and Soto did the same in the third as the advantage ballooned to 13-0. Washington has hit back-to-back homers 10 times this season.
"We got started off on such a bad foot," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "We give up four in the first, that's a tough way to start. We never got a chance, really."
Soto homered again in the fifth and now has 28 on the year.
Dozier had his first multi-homer game of the season and now has 19 homers this year. Adam Eaton — who had a two-run triple in the second — homered in the fifth.
"Today's game is difficult on everybody, and we wanted to try and get out there early, get on them early," Eaton said.