After getting a day off on Wednesday, Bryce Harper hit his first home run in nearly two weeks on Thursday as the Washington Nationals defeated the St. Louis Cardinals.

Harper hit a solo shot off Mike Leake that had an exit velocity of 112.8 mph and traveled an estimated 437 feet.

It it caromed off the facade of the third deck in right field in Washington, a faraway destination only two other players have ever reached (Adam LaRoche, Adam Dunn).

"It felt good," Harper said. "Got a pitch I could handle, and did some damage with it. Just happy we came out with that W.

"I mean, you just try to square up the ball every time, and I haven't been doing that. When I'm getting one or two pitches a game, you foul them back and then they throw something dirty and they get you. If I don't hit those pitches that are in the zone, then you're gonna struggle and do the things that you don't wanna do. Obviously I got a pitch I could handle tonight, and I’m gonna do some damage with it."