Nationals 6, Astros 5
Anthony Rendon recorded two doubles and three RBIs while Ryan Zimmerman added two of each as host Washington held on to snap its four-game losing streak.
Denard Span went 2-for-4 and scored twice while Ian Desmond drove in a run for the Nationals, who managed a total of four runs during their skid. Tanner Roark (6-4) allowed one run and seven hits over five innings en route to his third straight win while Rafael Soriano worked around a walk in the ninth for his 14th save.
Jose Altuve collected a season-high four hits and plated two runs in his return to the starting lineup while Dexter Fowler, Matt Dominguez and Jonathan Villar each went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored for the Astros, who kicked off a six-game road trip. Dallas Keuchel (8-4) suffered his first loss in seven road starts this season, surrendering four runs on six hits and four walks in five frames.
Washington jumped out to an early 2-0 lead as Span led off the first inning with an infield single and scored on a double by Rendon, who raced home on Zimmerman's two-base hit two batters later. Zimmerman plated Jayson Werth with another double in the third and Desmond followed with an RBI single to make it 4-0.
The Astros got back a run in the fourth, opening the frame with three straight base hits to load the bases before Dominguez's one-out infield single drove in Altuve. The Nationals added much-needed insurance two innings later with Rendon's two-run double, as Altuve highlighted a four-run rally in the eighth with one of his own.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Altuve was held out of the starting lineup in each of Houston's previous three games due to a hand injury. ... Span returned to Washington's lineup after missing Sunday's game with a stiff back. ... Nationals RHP Tyler Clippard provided little relief in the eighth, yielding four runs and five hits while recording only two outs.