Nationals rally past Royals

? Jayson Werth hit a two-run homer, Bryce Harper drove in three runs, and the Washington Nationals rallied from a six-run hole before holding off the Kansas City Royals for an 11-10 victory Friday night.

Harper also made a terrific catch in the ninth for Washington, which scored seven times in the fourth inning of its fourth consecutive victory. Ian Desmond had a pair of hits during the outburst.

Denard Span, Ryan Zimmerman, Tyler Moore and Anthony Rendon also had RBIs as the Nationals piled up 11 runs for the second time in three games — they beat the Cubs 11-6 on Tuesday night.

Just like in that one, Tyler Roark (4-0) came in to spell some sloppy starting pitching for the Nationals. He earned the win by allowing one hit and one walk in 42/3 innings.

Bruce Chen (5-2) was tagged for the second straight time for Kansas City. He allowed seven runs and six hits with five walks in 32/3 innings in his shortest outing of the year.

The Royals trailed 11-8 heading to the ninth, but Alex Gordon walked and Eric Hosmer doubled before Billy Butler’s RBI single. Justin Maxwell added a two-run single to make it 11-10, but closer Rafael Soriano induced a pair of fly balls to end the game.

The first flyout came on a dramatic sliding catch by Harper in right on a blooper by Emilio Bonifacio. The second came on the first pitch to Alcides Escobar, giving Soriano his 33rd save.

Hosmer and Maxwell each homered and drove in three runs for the Royals, who have lost six straight. Salvador Perez drove in a pair of runs, and Gordon added three hits.

Royals manager Ned Yost convened a closed-door meeting before the game in the hopes of igniting an offense that scored five runs in a three-game sweep against the last-place White Sox.

It looks as if the message worked.

Gordon hit a leadoff double in the first and Hosmer followed with a drive to left, quickly staking Kansas City to a 2-0 lead. Maxwell added a solo shot later in the inning.

The Royals kept battering Gio Gonzalez in the second. Jamey Carroll got his first hit in 17 at-bats since arriving in a trade from Minnesota. Gordon hit an RBI double, Hosmer drove in a run with a single, and Butler’s run-scoring base hit made it 6-0.

Then the Nationals started their comeback.

Notes: The Nationals traded C Kurt Suzuki to Oakland for RHP Dakota Bacus and OF David DeJesus to Tampa Bay for a player to be named or cash. They also recalled C Jhonatan Solano and LHP Xavier Cedeno from Triple-A Syracuse. … Jordan Zimmermann starts Game 2 of the series for Washington. RHP Wade Davis goes for Kansas City.