It was a frustrating first eight innings. Countless opportunities gone by the wayside and a Joe Blanton start turned ugly with one pitch. In the end, none of that mattered because a ninth inning rally gave the Phillies their seventh straight victory. Four runs in the final inning, capped by a Jayson Werth two-run, dead-center home run that gave the Phillies an epic comeback win over the Nationals.
Drew Storen quickly learned what this team is all about as he came on for the save up three runs. A 6-3 deficit became 6-5 in a hurry as Ryan Howard brought home two runs with a single to left-center. Placido Polanco, who led off with a single, and Chase Utley who doubled, both scored. Jayson Werth then unloaded.
To one of the deepest parts of the ballpark, Werth gave it just enough of a ride to clear the high fence near the 409 mark just to the left of dead center field. Werth admitted after the win that he hadn’t been performing in the clutch, but this ending certainly helps.
Blanton was cruising through the first few innings before it all went wrong. He gave up a solo home run to Willie Harris in the third, which was his only blemish until the sixth. In that inning, he gave up a leadoff single to Ian Desmond and then a walk to Adam Dunn, before Mike Morse crushed a ball to the opposite field and into the seats. The home run gave Washington a 4-3 lead, which would swell to 6-3 by the eighth. So what, said the Phillies.
As they’ve proven time and again over the last few seasons, you can never leave Citizens Bank Park early, no matter what. Werth’s epic shot secured their three game advantage in the NL East.
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