Nationals 7, Mets 1: Michael Taylor blasted a two-run homer in his major-league debut and Doug Fister tossed seven scoreless innings as visiting Washington routed New York in the opener of their three-game series.

Ian Desmond, Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon also homered for the Nationals, who moved five games ahead of second-place Atlanta in the National League East. Fister (12-3) allowed seven hits and no walks and struck out three in improving to 7-1 with a 1.74 ERA over his last nine outings.

Harper began the scoring with a two-run blast in the second off Rafael Montero (0-3), who yielded five runs and seven hits - including three homers - over five frames in his first start since May 30. Asdrubal Cabrera went 3-for-5 for Washington, which won its ninth consecutive game at Citi Field while outscoring the Mets 67-18 during that stretch.

Taylor singled in the second for his first career hit and capped a five-run sixth inning with a two-run shot off Carlos Torres. Rendon began the frame with a solo shot off Montero, who then walked Adam LaRoche and was pulled when Desmond followed with a two-run blast into the left-field seats.

Daniel Murphy, David Wright and Wilmer Flores had two hits apiece for New York, which avoided being shut out when Murphy scored on pinch-hitter Eric Campbell’s sacrifice fly in the eighth. Murphy, who leads the National League with 149 hits, is 15-for-33 versus Washington this season.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Washington CF Denard Span went 0-for-5 and saw his 14-game hitting streak come to an end. He also failed to reach base safely for the first time in 37 games. … The game was delayed for 25 minutes due to rain in the top of the third inning. … Taylor started in place of RF Jayson Werth, who missed the game due to an inflamed right shoulder and is awaiting the results of an MRI.