Nationals 9, Reds 4: Denard Span tied a career high with five hits and capped a seven-run sixth inning with a two-run double as host Washington roughed up ace Johnny Cueto and evened its series with Cincinnati at a game apiece.

Danny Espinosa added a two-run single and was one of five players to knock in at least one run in the sixth for the Nationals, who became the first team to score more than two runs against Cueto this season. Doug Fister (1-1) benefited from the offensive explosion, winning his home debut after allowing two runs on six hits and a walk over seven frames.

Cueto (4-3), who was 4-0 with an 0.88 ERA over his previous six turns and was bidding to become the first pitcher since Harry Krause in 1909 to go seven innings and allow two runs or fewer in each of his first 10 starts, surrendered season highs in runs (eight), earned runs (six) and hits (six) over a season-low 5 1/3 innings. Todd Frazier gave Cincinnati a first-inning lead with an RBI single and Billy Hamilton drove in a pair of runs for the Reds.

Washington put up a pair of unearned runs in the third when Frazier and Ramon Santiago committed errors on consecutive plays that allowed Fister to reach and score one batter later on Span’s bunt single. Anthony Rendon made it 2-1 on the next pitch with a sacrifice fly to center.

The Nationals blew the game open in the sixth when Span singled, Rendon was hit by a pitch and Jayson Werth ripped a scorching grounder to plate the first run of the inning before Tyler Moore dumped a RBI single into right and Espinosa followed with his only hit of the contest to end Cueto’s outing. Jose Lobaton greeted reliever Sean Marshall with a run-scoring single and Span found the gap in right-center to bring home Washington’s final two runs.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Cueto’s first loss in five starts against Washington since 2009 also ended his six-game streak of working at least eight innings. … Span’s two other career five-hit efforts came against the Detroit Tigers in 2009. … The Nationals tied the Tigers and Milwaukee Brewers for the major-league lead with their 14th comeback win and improved to 20-1 when they score more than four runs.