Final: Phillies 8, Nationals 5
The Philadelphia Phillies clubbed four home runs Saturday evening, overpowering the lowly Washington Nationals and clinching a series victory over their division rivals.
After former Lehigh Valley IronPigs star Joey Meneses gave the Nationals an early 2-0 lead with a home run off of Ranger Suárez, the Phillies bats came to life.
Bryce Harper erased the deficit by hitting a two-run home run against his former team in the bottom of the third inning. This was Harper’s first home run since June 9, and his 99th since joining the Phillies:
But outside of Harper, it wasn’t a ton of the usual suspects that provided the thump for the Phillies Saturday. With J.T. Realmuto and Alec Bohm both out of the lineup, the bottom of the order feasted on Nationals pitching.
Edmundo Sosa gave the Phillies a 3-2 lead with an RBI fielder’s choice in the bottom of the fourth inning, before being plated on what was nearly a home run by Brandon Marsh:
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Nick Maton got in on the fun, hitting a two-run home run to the opposite field, which extended the lead to 6-2:
And in the home half of the sixth inning, Marsh became the third Phillie of the night to hit a home run to the opposite field, part of a big game for the trade-deadline pickup:
One of the usual suspects did his part in the top of the ninth as well, with Kyle Schwarber hitting his National League-leading 37th home run of the season into the Nationals bullpen, a 457-foot home run that was the icing on the cake of a Saturday evening victory:
With the win, the Phillies improve to 77-62. They are five wins away from posting consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 2010 and 2011. Of course, the Phillies posted a winning record every season from 2003-2011, but zero winning campaigns from 2012-2020.
Meanwhile, it’s been just three years since the Nationals won their first World Series title, but it feels like a lifetime. After losing Saturday, the Nationals are 49-91, giving them a slight edge over the Oakland Athletics in the race for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.
Aaron Nola will get the ball for the Phillies Sunday, as they look to sweep Aníbal Sánchez and the Nationals.
Shibe Vintage Sports Starting Pitching Performance
- Erick Fedde now has 12 career appearances against the Phillies, 11 of which have been starts. After he allowed four runs over 3 2/3 innings Saturday, Fedde’s career ERA against the Phillies is at an unsightly 6.19.
- Ranger Suárez wasn’t perfect Saturday, but he gave the Phillies some length, going 6 2/3 innings, while allowing seven hits and four runs. He only walked one batter, and good things seem to happen for Suárez when he limits his free passes.
Ticket IQ Next Game
- Sunday, Sept. 11 vs. Nationals at Citizens Bank Park
- 1:05 p.m. ET
- TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
- Radio: 1210 WPHT
- Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680
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