'Sun monster,' Zimmermann lead Nats over Brewers

Well, this time, that "sun monster" helped Werth's Nationals and hurt the Milwaukee Brewers.

A day after the Nationals misplayed a pair of fly balls in the midday glare, Werth wound up with a two-out, two-run double when Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez lost a ball in the sun to spark a six-run fourth inning Monday, and Washington beat Milwaukee 12-2 to cut its magic number for winning the NL East to five.

"I don't remember a worse sun field, worse sun conditions," said Werth, a major leaguer for a decade. "You almost don't have a chance out there as the game goes on."

Jordan Zimmermann (12-8) allowed one run and four hits in 6 2-3 innings in the rare 1:05 p.m. weekday start. He also delivered two hits and drove in a run as a batter for the Nationals, who are a majors-best 93-60 and increased their division lead over the Atlanta Braves to five games with nine to play.

"We still have a little ways to go, but if we keep playing baseball the way we've been playing, hopefully it'll happen soon," said Ryan Zimmerman, who had three hits and four RBIs.

Marco Estrada (4-7) lasted only four innings for the Brewers, who entered the day 2½ games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL's second wild-card berth. He allowed seven runs — six earned — and eight hits, and acknowledged that Gomez's problems on Werth's ball into the sun caused the righty to lose his composure "a little bit."

"It felt like it was a blink of an eye," Estrada said. "I looked up, the score was 2-1, and I was like, 'All right, let's get this guy out. Pop fly.' Next thing you know, it's 7-1. I couldn't believe it."

As Brewers manager Ron Roenicke put it: "It would've been a good game if that ball's caught."

Right after Zimmermann's RBI single broke a 1-all tie, Werth hit a high fly that could have been the third out — but Gomez couldn't find it.

"It is just a matter of being lucky and not getting a ball hit to you when it's in your field of vision," Werth said. "Even then, if the ball is hit to your left early in the game, it goes into the sun. And if it goes to your right later in the game, it goes in the sun. And if it's hit right at you in the middle of the game, you are in trouble."