Nats roll to sixth triumph in a row

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Three home runs. Another big night from Ryan Church. Some rare run support for Esteban Loaiza. And a clear-cut sign of team unity.

What's not to like?

The Washington Nationals strung together that combination en route to a 7-2 win over the Oakland Athletics last night, easily the most convincing of their six straight victories. And though it lacked the late-inning heroics that have become so commonplace at RFK Stadium, this one certainly had its share of important developments.

Most obvious, of course, was the surprising offensive outburst on a night Loaiza pitched. Victimized all year by some of the majors' worst run support, Loaiza (2-4) finally earned a much-deserved win thanks to a seven-run, 12-hit explosion from his teammates.

"The bottom line is winning," Loaiza said. "And we won today."

No less notable was Church's 4-for-5, three-RBI night in which the rookie left fielder came a double short of hitting for the cycle and recorded his second straight clutch hit off a left-handed reliever.

"An exceptional offensive game," manager Frank Robinson said.

And though it didn't figure in the game's ultimate outcome, the support the Nationals bench showed for Jose Guillen after their No. 3 hitter was drilled in the left hand by A's reliever Keiichi Yabu proved just how close-knit this bunch has become.

"We have to take care of our teammates," shortstop Cristian Guzman said. "That's real important for the team, that they know we all have each other's backs."

Guillen, who might have upset the A's when he grumbled about a called third strike in the first inning, came up in the fifth and was immediately greeted with a fastball behind his head from Yabu. The next pitch found its mark -- Guillen's left hand -- and several Nationals immediately emerged from the dugout to back up their teammate.