Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Ian Desmond singled in the winning run as part of a two-run seventh inning rally that lifted Washington to a 4-2 win over Cincinnati in the opener of a three-game series at Nationals Park.
Desmond, Cristian Guzman and Adam Dunn each finished with a pair of hits for the Nationals, who snapped a three-game slide and won for just a second time in their last seven games.
Tyler Clippard (8-3) earned the win with one shutout inning in relief, as Washington beat the Reds for a fourth straight game going back to August of last season. Matt Capps stranded two runners in the ninth to earn his 18th save.
Enerio Del Rosario (1-1) took the loss after allowing the decisive runs -- both unearned -- in 1 2/3 innings of work for the Reds, who have dropped four of their last five.
Brandon Phillips had three hits and drove in a run for Cincinnati.