Astros 11, Nationals 4
The visiting Astros hit three triples in a five-run first inning and salvaged the finale of a four-game series.
Houston won for just the third time in its last 13 tries at Nationals Park.
The Astros strung six hits together after one out, starting with Jose Altuve’s triple. Brian Bogusevic ripped a two-run triple off the right-field wall before Matt Downs added a run-scoring triple and Jason Castro hit a RBI single.
Ryan Zimmerman’s three-run homer cut the deficit to 5-4 in the fourth, but Houston pitcher Bud Norris helped his cause in the sixth, golfing a bases-loaded single to make it 7-4. That ended up being Houston’s second five-run inning.
Norris (1-0) went six innings, scattering 10 hits to get the win. Edwin Jackson (1-1) tossed four scoreless innings after the first, but took the loss.
Game Notebook: Zimmerman has four homers and 17 RBIs in his last 17 home games against the Astros. … Washington fell to 6-2 at home as it prepares to host Miami in a weekend series. … Houston had scored five runs total in the first three games of the series before erupting Thursday.