Harper launches two home runs, continues dominance against Phillies

The Phillies didn't register a hit in the top of the first inning, but they did load the bases before a Maikel Franco groundout ended the inning. While the Phillies failed to take advantage of baserunners in scoring position in the top of the first, the Nationals didn't fail to take advantage of any opportunities presented to them in the first two innings. 

Bryce Harper, a day after legendary baseball writer Bill James suggested that he wasn't a superstar, led the game off with an opposite-field home run: 

Our phirst batter of the game went deep again. pic.twitter.com/9oXyaRx5kK

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 4, 2018

The Nationals added two more runs in the bottom of the first, with Ryan Zimmerman and Matt Wieters both recording RBI singles. By the end of the first inning, the Nationals had forced Pivetta to throw 37 pitches, while scoring five runs off of their former farmhand. 

Things didn't get better for Pivetta in the second inning. Wilmer Difo led off the inning with a walk. Harper, this time with a man on, came up for his second at-bat. The result was the same as the first: 

Is Bryce Harper a superstar?

Our column: pic.twitter.com/yFyIjC7JFS

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) May 5, 2018

The two home runs were Harper's 18th and 19th against the Phillies since the start of the 2015 season. Those are the most that the free-agent-to-be has against any team in that time-span. 

In fairness to Pivetta, Harper was in some kind of zone tonight. He didn't end up hitting any more home runs, but he hit his next two balls to deep center field, with Herrera putting them away on the cusp of the warning track in center field. 

The Phillies bats did wake up in the top of the sixth, starting with Carlos Santana, who hit his third home run of the year. After Santana's two-run shot, Maikel Franco hit a titanic home run to left field. Franco was just two innings removed from hitting a ball to deep left field that would have likely been a two-run home run had Matt Adams not caught the ball against the wall. But it was that type of night for the Phillies, who ultimately fell to the Nationals in the first game of a weekend set. 

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Friday evening's start pitching matchup presented an interested dynamic: two major leaguers pitching against the team who they were once top prospects for. 

The Phillies acquired Gio Gonzalez in November of 2005 from the Chicago White Sox in the Jim Thome trade. Just over a year later, the Phillies traded Gonzalez, along with Gavin Floyd, back to the White Sox for Freddy Garcia. It turned out to be one of the more lopsided trades in recent team history, as Gonzalez has gone on to have a very successful major league career. 

Speaking of lopsided, the Phillies acquired Nick Pivetta, Friday's starting pitcher, from the Nationals in July of 2015 for Jonathan Papelbon. While the most notable thing that Papelbon did in his brief time with the Nationals was put his hand on Bryce Harper's throat, Pivetta has had quite the start to the 2018 season. The 25-year-old righty entered the evening with a 2.73 FIP, 10th best among all qualified starters. It's safe to say that Papelbon-Pivetta trade hasn't worked out in the Nationals favor. 

While Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo likely regrets moving Pivetta in the Papelbon trade, things worked out pretty well for the Nationals against their former fourth-round pick Friday night.

Pivetta pitched into the second inning tonight, but failed to record an out. In an inning plus of work, Pivetta allowed five hits and six earned runs. Bryce Harper drove home half of those runs, hitting a leadoff home run in the first inning and a titanic two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning. 

Pivetta also gave up RBI singles to Ryan Zimmerman and Matt Wieters. In addition, Drew Hutchison, who was otherwise impressive in his relief of Pivetta, gave up a two-run home run to Matt Adams, with one of those runs charged to Pivetta. 

Gonzalez, on the other hand, continued his quietly impressive career Friday night. The 32-year-old went five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out five. Had there not been a rain delay in the middle of the top half of the fourth inning, Gonzalez likely would have lasted six or seven innings Friday. 

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