Yainer Diaz homers as the Astros beat the Nationals to stop a 5-game slide
Christian Walker had two hits and two RBIs for the AL West-leading Astros. Bennett Sousa (5-0) got four outs for the win, and Josh Hader struck out the side in the ninth for his 28th save.
Luis García Jr. hit a two-run drive for last-place Washington, which had won three straight and five of seven overall. CJ Abrams had three hits.
García connected for his ninth homer in the third inning, lifting the Nationals to a 2-1 lead. But Diaz responded with a solo shot in the fourth for his 14th homer.
Walker singled and scored on Cooper Hummel's pinch-hit single in the fifth, and the Astros grabbed control with three more runs in the sixth.
Altuve singled home Dubón for a 4-2 lead, and Walker followed with a two-run single against Andry Lara.
Andrew Chafin (1-1) took the loss.
Washington right-hander Michael Soroka allowed two runs and four hits in 3 1/3 innings in his final start before Thursday's trade deadline.
Key moment
Washington closed to 7-4 on Daylen Lile's RBI double in the eighth. The Nationals had runners on second and third with one out, but Riley Adams and Jacob Young struck out swinging against Bryan Abreu.
Key stat
The Nationals went 3 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
Up next
Left-hander MacKenzie Gore (4-10, 3.52 ERA) starts for Washington on Wednesday in the series finale. The Astros had not announced their starter.
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