who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. [

WASHINGTON -- Davey Johnson isnt shaving his scruffy beard, even after the Washington Nationals finally put on the offensive show he was longing to see. Adam LaRoche homered twice and drove in four runs, and the Nationals barrelled past the Baltimore Orioles 9-3 Tuesday night. LaRoche, Tyler Moore and Roger Bernadina connected off Orioles rookie Kevin Gausman (0-2). LaRoche added a solo shot in the eighth off Troy Patton. It added up to Washingtons highest-scoring performance since a 10-3 win over Miami on April 15. The Nationals hadnt scored more than seven runs in 29 games since April 25. The 70-year-old Johnson began growing the beard last week and said he wouldnt shave until the Nationals broke out of their hitting slump. Now it appears he wont shave for fear of jinxing a team on a roll. "It was great," Johnson said of the hitting attack. "Some guys that usually take two or three strikes went up there and hit line drives." And then, fondling his grey beard, he added, "Maybe this is working." Addressing the suddenly hot topic of Johnsons beard, Moore said, "It looks pretty bad, doesnt it? I hope he looks like Santa at the end of the year if we keep winning." Washington built a 7-3 lead in the fourth inning for right-hander Nathan Karns in his major league debut. But Karns couldnt make it out of the fifth. Karns gave up three runs, five hits and two walks in 4 1-3 innings. He was alternatingly sharp and shaky, but decent enough to earn another chance. "Nathan Karns did good, so hes going to come back and pitch Sunday," Johnson said. "I thought he handled himself well. Good start against a good hitting ball club. I know he was nervous but I like the way he went after the hitters." Selected in the 12th round of the 2009 draft, Karns never before pitched above the Double-A level. The 25-year-old was 4-2 with a 4.60 ERA this season in nine starts for Harrisburg of the Eastern League. The start of the game -- and Karns big league debut -- was delayed by rain for 1 hour, 21 minutes. He didnt care. "The rain delay didnt bother me at all," the rookie said. "Now the first one is out of the way I can just build off of that." Zach Duke (1-1) followed Karns with 1 2-3 innings of perfect relief. Chris Davis hit his major-league leading 17th homer for the Orioles, and J.J. Hardy also went deep. But Baltimores franchise-record run of scoring at least five runs in 10 straight road games ended. After allowing four runs in five innings against Toronto last Thursday in his major league debut, the 22-year-old Gausman digressed in his second appearance. The right-hander gave up seven runs and eight hits in four innings with one walk and no strikeouts. Gausman, the No. 4 pick in the 2012 draft, is toting an unsightly 11.00 ERA and opponents are batting .385 against him. "Pitching in the big leagues is hard. Hes got the talent to do it and eventually he will," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "I look forward to it being next time out. He knows mistakes get magnified here. But its part of the process." Washington pulled away with a four-run fourth. LaRoche drew a leadoff walk, Moore hit his second homer in 81 at-bats this season, and Bernadina followed with his first long ball since Sept. 28. "After Bernadina and Moore went deep you want me to shave? I cant shave right now," Johnson said with a grin. With two outs, Denard Span added an RBI double to make it 7-3. Early on, with his fastball hitting 97 mph, Karns retired the side in order in the first inning on three groundouts. "I just wanted to get out there and throw strikes, work with getting the hitters out, and it worked out to my advantage," Karns said. Gausman, in contrast, struggled at the outset. After Span hit a scorching grounder that was gloved by Davis at first base and turned into an out, Steve Lombardozzi and Ryan Zimmerman both singled before LaRoche drove a 2-0 pitch into the centre-field seats. Baltimore closed to 3-1 in the second on an RBI double by Matt Wieters. But with one out and runners on the corners, Karns struck out Yamaico Navarro and Gausman. In the fourth, Davis lined a 1-2 pitch into the Washington bullpen beyond the right-field wall. Two batters later, Hardy homered to left into the Orioles bullpen to knot the score at 3. NOTES: The Nationals played a second straight game without OF Bryce Harper (knee), and Johnson acknowledged, "I probably was being optimistic thinking he could DH over in Baltimore (on Wednesday and Thursday). Its probably not looking good for that." ... Washington 2B Danny Espinosa, who has been sidelined since May 22 with a fractured bone in his right wrist, hopes to return Wednesday. "The strength is fine. Its just the stiffness," Espinosa said. ... The Nationals have homered in 73 straight series,, the longest active streak in the majors. ... Chris Tillman will take the mound for the Orioles on Wednesday night at Camden Yards against Washingtons Jordan Zimmermann, who is seeking his ninth victory. ... Baltimores Nick Markakis had his 12-game hitting streak snapped. Packers Jerseys China . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. Custom Packers Jerseys . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. http://www.custompackersjersey.com/ . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. Wholesale Custom Packers Shirts . LOUIS -- Roman Polak was celebrating even before Alexander Steen scored the winning goal in Saturdays 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Custom Rashan Gary Jersey . Howard Ganz, an MLB lawyer, said in a letter to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos that Rodriguezs claims do not come "remotely close" to what is needed to overturn an arbitration decision in federal court. WASHINGTON -- Dansby Swansons first major league home run stayed in the ballpark.The 2015 overall No. 1 draft pick circled the bases with an inside-the-park home run in the second inning of the Atlanta Braves game at the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.Swanson lined a pitch from Gio Gonzalez over Trea Turner and high off the center-field fence, 399 feet away. The ball caromed toward the infield, and Swanson slid home headfirst, easilyy beating the throw by right fielder Bryce Harper.ddddddddddddSwanson was selected by Arizona in the draft, traded to Atlanta in December and made his big league debut Aug. 17. He entered the night with a .236 with four RBI in 55 at-bats.Atlantas previous inside-the-park home run was by Wes Helms on Oct. 7, 2001. ' ' '