Nationals 7, Padres 2: Jordan Zimmermann threw six strong innings and drove in a run as National League East leader Washington coasted at San Diego.

Zimmermann (1-1) continued the Nationals’ run of excellent early-season pitching, giving up one run on just four hits while striking out six without a walk. Tom Gorzelanny finished the job with three innings of relief, throwing in an RBI single in the eighth inning for good measure.

Washington grabbed the upper hand in the second inning when Rick Ankiel doubled in a run off Joe Wieland (0-3) and scored on a base hit by Zimmermann. After Orlando Hudson’s fifth-inning homer brought the Padres within a run, the Nationals broke it open with a four-run seventh. Wilson Ramos punctuated the burst with a two-run single that made it a 6-1 game.

San Diego tacked on a run in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI groundout by Cameron Maybin.

Wieland took the loss despite yielding just two runs on five hits and three walks. Relievers Luke Gregerson and Josh Spence each allowed two runs in the seventh, combining to retire one batter.

Adam LaRoche went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored to lead the Nationals, who finished with 11 hits.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Hudson’s homer broke a string of 26 scoreless innings by Washington starting pitchers, the most since the team relocated from Montreal ... Zimmermann’s ERA actually went up in the victory (1.29 to 1.33) ... With Gorzelanny’s eighth-inning single, Washington became the first team since St. Louis in 2008 to get RBIs from two different pitchers in the same game.