Nationals hit 8 home runs to blast Brewers 15-2

WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals staged their own version of the Home Run Derby.

Washington tied a franchise record with eight homers and matched two major league marks during a prolific third inning that highlighted a 15-2 rout of the fading Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday.

Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman each homered twice for the Nationals, who banged out 19 hits in reaching double figures in runs for the 18th time this season.

Washington equaled two big league records in a seven-run third: Most consecutive home runs (four) and most home runs in an inning (five).

All the home runs in the third inning were hit off Michael Blazek (0-1), who became the first pitcher in baseball history to allow five home runs in an inning.

Only five other major league teams hit five homers in an inning, a feat that had not occurred since Milwaukee did it in 2006. Washington became the eighth team to hit four in a row, the first since Arizona in 2010.