Yanks’ win streak hits seven

WASHINGTON - The first-place Yankees came to Washington with a six-game winning streak to face a division-leading team that was just as hot. Leading by a run after six innings, New York scored five late runs for a relatively easy win.

Phil Hughes pitched six innings to win his fourth straight start, and Curtis Granderson drove in three runs, carrying the Yankees to a 7-2 victory over the Nationals on Friday.

Both teams entered with six-game winning streaks, and the game drew a crowd of 41,406. For the Nationals, the attention was unusual, though many were rooting for the Yankees.

Hughes (7-5) worked six innings, allowing a run and six hits. He walked two and struck out nine. Cody Eppley and Clay Rapada each pitched a scoreless inning, and David Robertson allowed a run in the ninth.

"We knew they were playing really well," Hughes said. "Thankfully, we scored some runs."

Granderson hit a two-run double during a four-run seventh and his 20th home run in the ninth.

"It's one of those things where the first couple of at-bats don't go the way you want them to, you keep your head up and adjust as the game goes on," Granderson said.

"If it's not your first at-bat, it's your second, third or fourth at-bat. Never give up an at-bat."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi got his 500th major league win, 422 with New York.

Alex Rodriguez singled in a run in the third inning. The RBI was the 1,924th of his career, tying Rodriguez with Jimmie Foxx for sixth place on the all-time list.

Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez (8-3) allowed three runs and five hits in six-plus innings, walking two and striking out eight. He is 1-5 against the Yankees and left trailing 2-1 after allowing a leadoff single to Andruw Jones in the seventh.

Las Vegan Bryce Harper had a single in four at-bats for the Nationals.