Werth singles to extend on-base streak to 42

Outfielder one short of Zimmerman's club record

Werth on base 42nd straight game 0:48

Jayson Werth singles to center field to make it 42 straight games he's been on base, one shy of the Nationals' team record

WASHINGTON -- With a sixth-inning single in Saturday's 7-6 Nationals win over the Braves, Jayson Werth has reached base safely in 42 straight games, one off the team record set by Ryan Zimmerman in 2009.

Werth has gotten a hit or walk in every game since June 20. The streak is the longest of his career and the longest in the Majors this season.

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After the single on Saturday, Werth is halfway to Ted Williams' Major League record on-base streak, set in 1949. George Van Haltren holds the National League record of 60, achieved for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1893.

Despite Werth's recent success, manager Dusty Baker decided to move him down in the order Saturday, from second to fifth, to get Ben Revere closer to the top of the lineup. Werth has hit a gaudy .277/.389/.451 from the two-hole this season, compared to only .250 when batting fifth.

But the lineup swap didn't seem to faze Werth. After striking out in his first at-bat and flying out in his second, he whacked a 96 mph fastball from Braves reliever Jason Hursh up the middle. He then advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Danny Espinosa's single. He later lined out to second to end the seventh and finished 1-for-4.

Espinosa's RBI single

ATL@WSH: Espinosa plates Werth on a single to right

Danny Espinosa hits a single to right field which scores Jayson Werth and gives the Nationals a 7-1 lead

Following a tough start to the season, Werth has come on strong over the past two-and-a-half months. Around the end of May, he ditched the aggressiveness he was testing out for the new season and returned to the patient approach he's maintained his whole career. Since then, he ranks among the NL leaders with a .386 on-base percentage.

Werth will have a chance to tie the franchise record in Sunday's series finale against rookie right-hander Tyrell Jenkins and the Braves.

Alex Putterman is a reporter for MLB.com based in Washington. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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