Padres 6, Nationals 5
WASHINGTON -- Justin Upton hit two home runs and had three RBIs and Tyson Ross pitched into the seventh inning as the San Diego Padres held off the Washington Nationals 6-5 Wednesday.
The Nationals (63-62), who had won three in a row, began the night 5 1/2 games back of the first-place New York Mets in the National League East. San Diego (62-64), which has won eight of its last 11, started the day 7 1/2 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.
Washington cut the lead to 6-5 in the seventh as second baseman Anthony Rendon walked with the bases loaded and right fielder Bryce Harper had a two-run single, his second hit of the game.
But third baseman Yunel Escobar hit into a double play to end the inning against reliever Mark Rzepczynski. Joaquin Benoit pitched a perfect eighth for the Padres and closer Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless ninth for his 36th save.
Upton, a Virginia native, had hit his second homer -- a solo shot -- in the seventh against reliever Doug Fister to give the Padres a 6-2 lead.
The Nationals had cut the lead to 5-2 against Ross in the sixth as Ryan Zimmerman had a sacrifice fly. But starter Ross struck out shortstop Ian Desmond with two runners on base to end the threat.
Ross (9-9) gave up four runs in 6 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts and also had two hits.
The losing pitcher was Washington starter Gio Gonzalez (9-7), who has lost his last three starts while giving up 20 hits in 12 1/3 innings during that span.
San Diego catcher Austin Hedges also had two hits, while Washington center fielder Denard Span had two doubles in his second game since coming off the disabled list.
The Nationals have lost eight of their last nine games decided by one or two runs.
The Padres scored four runs (three earned) in the third against Gonzalez.
Pitcher Tyson Ross led off with a single and with one out Melvin Upton, Jr. reached on an error by third baseman Yunel Escobar. Right fielder Matt Kemp followed with a two-run double up the right-center alley and left fielder Justin Upton followed with a screaming two-run homer into the San Diego bullpen in left for a 4-0 lead.
It was the 21st homer of the year for Upton -- and clocked at 109 miles-per-hour -- but was just his sixth on the road in 61 games.
Yangervis Solarte, the third baseman for the Padres, made it 5-0 in the fourth when his pop fly in foul territory caught by first baseman Ryan Zimmerman allowed catcher Austin Hedges to score from third.
The Nationals manufactured a run in the fourth as right fielder Bryce Harper drew a walk, took second on a groundout, stole third and scored when Zimmerman grounded out to make it 5-1.
San Diego starter Ross entered the game having allowed just five homers in 151 2/3 innings, good for 0.30 homers per nine innings, the best mark in the majors. The second-best mark belonged to Gonzalez (0.41).
But the Padres led off the first four innings with singles against Gonzalez, who gave up five runs (four earned) and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings before Doug Fister came on to get the last out in the fifth.
Gonzalez has now allowed 16 runs (14 earned) in his last three starts after eight games in a row in which he allowed two runs or less.
NOTES: Wednesday's starters -- Padres RHP Tyson Ross and Nationals LHP Gio Gonzalez -- were teammates with the Oakland A's in 2010-11. ... Nationals RHP Joe Ross (4-5, 3.56 ERA), Tyson's younger brother, will start Thursday against Padres RHP Andrew Cashner (5-12, 4.03 ERA). ... Padres OF Matt Kemp had his 15-game hitting streak end Tuesday. It was the longest streak for a Padre since Will Venable in 2013. Kemp had 30 go-ahead RBIs through Tuesday to lead the majors. ... Nationals RF Bryce Harper entered Wednesday with 31 homers and 30 doubles. He led the National League in on-base average (.454), slugging (.639), wins above replacement (7.2) and homers through Tuesday.