You kind of figured it was only a matter of time.

The great Ryan Howard slump may be over. The Phillies slugger snapped out of his spring doldrums last night with a bang – hitting two homers and also doubling, while driving in four runs.

The Phils used Howard’s power surge along with a strong effort from the ancient one, Jamie Moyer, to coast to a laugher over the Nationals, 12-2.

Howard showed two different styles of power, hitting a tape-measure moon shot, believed to be in the general area code of some 420 feet, in the third inning that landed in the upper deck of the Nats’ new stadium. Then in the fourth Howard came right back with a laser shot line drive into the seats.

Ryan has been taking heat for his strikeout numbers this spring. He’s on a pace to eclipse last year’s record-setting number of whiffs.

At least for one night, Howard’s bat silenced the critics, and beat the Nationals in to submission.