Papelbon fights Harper in dugout, gets the loss as Phillies rout Nationals in DC

Final: Phillies 12, Nationals 5

WP: Dalier Hinojosa (2-0, 0.95 ERA) LP: Jonathan Papelbon (4-3, 2.13 ERA)

Washington, DC – Following an extra-inning loss to the Nationals on Saturday, the Phillies offense exploded late in the game to take two out of three in Washington by a score of 12-4. Andres Blanco and Jeff Francoeur led the Phillies offense with a combined five RBIs and two runs scored.

The more notable story of today's game comes from the Nationals end of things. After Bryce Harper flew out in the eighth, he came back to the dugout to Jonathan Papelbon who looked to be telling Harper to "run it out". Harper and Papelbon had some heated words exchanged before the former Phillies closer instigated a fight in the Nationals dugout with the MVP-candidate outfielder. At one point, Papelbon's hands can be seen around Harper's neck.

Jonathan Papelbon attacking Bryce Harper? Jonathan Papelbon attacking Bryce Harper. pic.twitter.com/T2qof97Ymh

— Jake Russell (@_JakeRussell) September 27, 2015

The next half inning, Papelbon blew the save and the Phillies scored eight runs in the ninth to beat the Nationals.

Washington got on the board first in second, courtesy of back-to-back solo home runs from Ian Desmond and Matt den Dekker.

The Phillies tied things up in the sixth. Aaron Harang and Freddy Galvis led the inning off wit back-to-back singles before Andres Blanco reached on an error to load the bases. Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez then walked Aaron Altherr and Darin Ruf, helping the Phillies even things up at two a piece.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Nationals tacked on two more runs. Jose Lobaton hit an RBI-double and Dan Uggla drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, putting the Washington lead back at two.

Aaron Altherr led off the top of the eighth with a ground-rule double. Two batters later, Jeff Francoeur belted a two-run home run just inside the left field foul pole to tie the game at four. 

Philadelphia ran away with the game in the ninth. With their former closer, Jonathan Papelbon on the mound, Freddy Galvis walked. Andres Blanco followed with a two-run home run over the wall in left center to give the Phillies a 6-4 advantage. The Phillies scored the remainder of their runs on a Nationals error and RBI-singles from Cameron Rupp, Freddy Galvis and Andres Blanco.

Ken Giles gave up an unearned run in the ninth, but the Phillies sealed the win, 12-5 thanks to eight runs from the offense in the top of the ninth inning.

Starting Pitcher Report:

• Harang: 89 pitches, 55 strikes; 5 groundouts, 11 flyouts; 23 batters faced
• Gonzalez: 89 pitches, 55 strikes, 4 groundouts, 2 flyouts; 23 batters faced

Out of the 'Pen

Phillies

• Jeanmar Gomez (7th): 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 3.01 ERA 
• Dalier Hinojosa (7th): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 0.95 ERA
• Ken Giles (9th): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR, 1.36 ERA

Nationals

• Rafael Martin (6th): 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR, 5.25 ERA
• Matt Grace (6th): 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 4.41 ERA
• Doug Fister (7th): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 4.19 ERA
• Casey Janssen (8th): 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 1 HR, 5.08 ERA
• Felipe Rivero (8th): 0.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 2.98 ERA
• Jonathan Papelbon (8th, 9th): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO, 1 HR, 2.13 ERA
• Sammy Solis (9th): 0.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR, 5.40 ERA

At the Plate:

Phillies

• Andres Blanco: 3-6, R, HR, 3 RBI, K, .287 avg
• Jeff Francoeur: 3-5, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, .260 avg
• Freddy Galvis: 3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, .265 avg

Nationals

• Matt den Dekker: 4-4, 3 R, 2B, HR, RBI, .251 avg
• Ian Desmond: 3-3, 2 R, HR, RBI, .236 avg'
• Jose Lobaton: 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, .203 avg

What's Next:

Tuesday, September 29th vs. New York Mets at 7:05pm

• RHP David Buchanan (2-9, 7.96) vs. RHP Bartolo Colon (14-12, 4.15)
• TV: CSN; Radio: 98.1 WOGL , 1210 WPHT, 1680 WTTM

Brandon Apter, Publishing Editor for Philliedelphia.com