DENVER -- Not feeling his best, John Patterson was still good enough to beat Colorado.

Patterson won his third consecutive start with eight innings of one-run ball and the Washington Nationals completed a three-game sweep of the Rockies with a 9-2 victory Sunday.

"I wasn't very comfortable on the mound today at all and I didn't have the command that I have had for most of this year," Patterson said. "I got my fastball around the plate early, and didn't really have my curve."

With less than his normal arsenal, Patterson (7-3) yielded nine hits, struck out five, walked two and lowered his ERA to 2.44. He has allowed four earned runs over his last three starts.

"I knew that I had to mix up my pitches so they couldn't just sit on a fastball, and really I think what I did have for location got me through today," Patterson said. "I did have a lead."

Nick Johnson hit a three-run homer and Jose Guillen added a solo shot for the Nationals. Guillen, who had two hits and two RBI, has hit 20 of his 21 home runs on the road.

Former Colorado outfielder Preston Wilson, acquired by Washington in July, had two hits and drove in two runs.

The series sweep was Washington's seventh this season.

"Patterson was fine," Washington manager Frank Robinson said. "He did what he had to after he got a big lead and pitched a good ballgame."

Colorado left 10 runners on base and was swept at Coors Field for the third time this year. The Rockies have lost four in a row.

"These guys threw us a beating for three days," Colorado manager Clint Hurdle said. "They threw us a beating pitching and hitting."

The Rockies scored in the eighth on a double to right by Todd Helton, a single to left by Matt Holliday and a sacrifice fly by Luis Gonzalez.

Washington took a 2-0 lead when Brad Wilkerson singled and moved to third on a hit-and-run single by Jose Vidro to open the fourth inning. Johnson drove in Wilkerson with a sacrifice fly behind third base and Vidro scored on a two-out single by Wilson.

"Nick Johnson is coming back slowly," Robinson said. "We want him to be a little bit more consistent."

The Nationals scored five runs in the fifth after two outs. Vidro delivered an RBI single to center, and after Johnson hit a three-run homer to right, Guillen hit a solo shot on the next pitch from Jose Acevedo (2-3).

"Acevedo had poor execution," Hurdle said. "He threw three good pitches to Vidro before hanging a breaking ball to Vidro and had Johnson down 0-2 and the next pitch ended up off the foul pole and his next pitch to Guillen ended up in the bleachers."

Guillen and Wilson had RBI doubles in the seventh inning.

Colorado loaded the bases in the third on leadoff singles by Acevedo and Larry Bigbie and a one-out intentional walk to Helton. Patterson managed to get out of the inning by getting Holliday to hit into a double play.

"We're not focused with runners in scoring position," Gonzalez said. "And you can't hit in those situations when you aren't."

Notes

Wilkerson was back in the lineup after missing two games with shoulder soreness. ... Vidro caught a pop fly hit by Omar Quintanilla that he juggled twice before catching. ... Rockies SS Clint Barmes, on the disabled list with a broken collarbone since June 6, will accompany the team on in its next road trip.