Josh Willingham had three extra-base hits including a homer and Luis Atilano snapped a three-start slide as the Washington Nationals took down the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Tuesday.

Adam Dunn added his 17th homer of the season and Ryan Zimmerman had his first multi-hit game since June 8 for the Nationals, who have taken the first two games of the series after dropping six straight.

Zimmerman got Washington on the board with an RBI double off Anthony Lerew in the third. The Nationals kept the pressure on Lerew in the next frame when Willingham clubbed a solo shot - his 13th of the season - and Nyjer Morgan pushed Ivan Rodriguez across with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.

Atilano made the most of his 5 1/3 innings, striking out five without issuing a walk and allowing one run and six hits. The 25-year-old rookie pushed his record to 6-4.

Dunn made it 4-1 with his home run in the fifth, snapping a 0-for-14 slump.

Scott Podsednik drove in all three runs with a sacrifice fly in the fifth and a two-run single in the ninth for Kansas City, which has dropped five straight.