What happened: The Washington Nationals lead Major League Baseball in runs scored this season, per MLB Network, with Blake Butera's club averaging 5.5 runs per game. Washington enters play at 39-35 and has won four straight.
Why it matters: The offensive output has pushed the Nationals above .500 and into a four-game winning streak, a meaningful step for a club still on the rise. Keeping the bats producing is what has kept Washington in the conversation through the season's middle stretch.
By the numbers: Washington is scoring 5.5 runs per game while allowing 5.2, sitting at 39-35 with a current four-game winning streak (last five WWWWL). Its biggest win of the year was a 14-1 rout at Arizona on June 5. The Nationals took the opening two games of their current series with Kansas City, 7-3 and 6-4.
What to watch: Washington continues its homestand against the Kansas City Royals (29-45) and will look to keep the league-best offense rolling.