Nats hit 4 straight HRs in win

SAN DIEGO — With four swings in the span of seven pitches, the Nationals put on a stunning power display that made major league history.

Howie Kendrick, Trea Turner, Adam Eaton and Anthony Rendon hit consecutive homers off former Nationals reliever Craig Stammen with one out in the eighth to lift Stephen Strasburg to another victory against his hometown Padres, 5-2 on Sunday.

The Nationals became the first team in major league history to accomplish the feat twice, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The other time was July 27, 2017, against the Brewers, when Brian Goodwin, Wilmer Difo, Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman followed with long home runs.

Sunday’s outburst surprised everyone.

“... If you know how that happens, and how you can hit four in a row again, let me know, because we’ll write a book and we’ll be rich,” Eaton said.

With the score tied at 1, Kendrick was pinch-hitting for Strasburg (7-3) when he started the homer parade with a shot to left, his 11th. Turner followed with a drive to center, his fourth, and Eaton’s homer just cleared the wall in center, his sixth. Fans began booing then, and piled on after Rendon homered to right-center, his 12th.

Strasburg held the Padres to one run and six hits in seven innings while striking out six. He improved to 8-2 in his career against the Padres and to 4-1 in five starts at Petco Park. He pitched at West Hills High in suburban Santee before pitching for the late Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn at San Diego State.