WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Washington Nationals put an exclamation

point on their first winning homestand of the season, scoring 10

runs on the Los Angeles Dodgers for the second time in three days.

Nick Johnson hit two home runs -- so much for his slump -- and

Alfonso Soriano's bid to be an All-Star outfielder got another

boost with his 18th homer. A five-run third inning blew the game

open in Sunday's 10-4 victory, capping a 7-3 stand that proved a

remarkable turnaround from the Nationals' previous 3-10 record at

RFK Stadium.

"We're starting to play some good baseball," Washington

manager Frank Robinson said. "It's good to start putting it

together."

Ryan Zimmerman also homered, Marlon Anderson hit his first

triple in three years, and Ramon Ortiz (3-4) won his third straight

start, allowed three runs and four hits over seven innings.

"They're clicking along pretty good right now," said Los

Angeles manager Grady Little, who had the hottest team in the

National League before dropping a pair of 10-4 decisions in the

nation's capital in three games. "They're swinging the bat,

they're getting good plate appearances from each and every guy that

goes up there, and that's why they're able to put together a streak

like that."

Johnson was in an 0-for-16 slump until a few days ago, when he

realized he was thinking too much and not bending his legs enough.

He has since reached base in 12 of 18 plate appearances and hit

solo homers in the sixth and eighth innings Sunday, his third

multihomer game this season.

"I watch a lot of film," said Johnson, who has 12 homers this

season. "I just get down on my legs a little more and stop

thinking about the other stuff and have better at-bats."

Soriano walked and scored in the first and hit his 18th home run

in the fourth. His 11 homers this month ties the franchise record

for the month of May, and the four-time All-Star second baseman is

now fielding questions about making it in the outfield, a position

he is still learning.

"I have the numbers," said Soriano, who is batting .301. "But

second base is not like outfield. At second base, not too many

people have big numbers."

Pitching had been the Dodgers' strength during their recent hot

streak, but the Nationals battered Brett Tomko on Friday and Jae

Seo on Sunday into their shortest outings of the season. Seo (2-3)

lasted 2 2-3 innings, allowing seven hits and six runs, and Los

Angeles' streak of six straight series wins came to an end.

"I tried to keep it low today, but then the control didn't

work," said Seo, who threw 35 strikes and 24 balls. "I'm not a

fastball pitcher, so every time I give up five or six runs my

control has been a problem."

The big inning was the third. Zimmerman's eight home run was a

three-run shot, and Anderson's triple was followed by Brian

Schneider's sacrifice fly. Marlon Byrd doubled and scored on Mike

Vento's first major league hit.

Because of injuries, the Dodgers fielded a starting lineup with

four rookies: second baseman Willy Aybar, center fielder Matt Kemp,

left fielder Andre Ethier and catcher Russell Martin. Kemp, making

his major league debut after a call-up from Double-A, struck out

three times before getting a single in his last at-bat.

Absent were J.D. Drew and Jeff Kent. Drew missed his second game

with a sore shoulder, and Kent sat out with a sprained left wrist.

Also, Kenny Lofton was given a day off from the starting lineup to

rest his hamstrings, although he walked and scored as a pinch

hitter in the eighth.

Ortiz (3-4), meanwhile, is back to form after going 0-4 over his

first seven starts. A bloop double off left fielder Soriano's glove

was the Dodgers' only hit until the sixth, when Olmedo Saenz capped

a three-run inning with his fifth home run.

"This was a nice homestand," Robinson said. "But we still

have to carry it over. We have to dig, dig to get ourselves out of

the hole we're in. We're up to what? Nine games under? So have to

continue to do it over and over. We're starting to win series now.

If we continue to do that for the next month, we'll be in good

shape."Game notes
Nationals reliever Jon Rauch hit two batters in the eighth,

including one with the bases loaded. ... Soriano's 11 homers in May

ties the team record set by Henry Rodriguez in 1996. ... Dodgers 1B

Nomar Garciaparra got another hit with a man on second, raising his

average with runners in scoring position to .447. ... Washington 2B

Jose Vidro was given the day off. ... Nationals INF Matt LeCroy

received a cortisone shot for his sore right elbow and is day to

day.