By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Set to begin the second half of the season, the Philadelphia Phillies (44-37) will look to even their overall series record to 12-12-3, as right-hander Jake Arrieta takes on southpaw Gio Gonzalez and the Washington Nationals (42-39) in Sunday afternoon's series finale at Citizens Bank Park. Arrieta (6.66) and Gonzalez (8.44) respectively had the 13th and second-highest ERA among major league starters in June, minimum 20 innings pitched.
Read: Phillies Activate Neshek, DL Velasquez in Slew of Roster Moves
The Phillies edged the Nationals 3-2 on Saturday behind Vince Velasquez, who pitched just two innings after suffering a right forearm contusion from a line drive. X-rays were negative. Odubel Herrera launched his way into a three-player tie for the team lead in home runs, 14, joining Rhys Hoskins and Carlos Santana. Jorge Alfaro and Aaron Altherr both produced RBI doubles in the fourth, while Seranthony Dominguez recorded his seventh career save to shut the door in the ninth.
On Sunday, Santana will get a rare day off, giving Hoskins just his second start of the season at first. The Phillies will conclude their 42-game stretch — which began May 17 — of facing eight of 10 teams which currently have winning records. Four of those teams currently qualify for the postseason. Thus far, the Phillies are 20-21 over this stretch and have won 12 of their last 19 games since June 10.
Starting Pitching Matchup:
| Washington Nationals (42-39) | Philadelphia Phillies (44-37) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LHP | Gio Gonzalez | RHP | Jake Arrieta | ||
| (6-5, 3.68 ERA) | (5-6, 3.54 ERA) | ||||
LHP Gio Gonzalez, Age: 32
- 2018 vs. PHI: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 SO, 0.800 WHIP
- Career vs. PHI: 11-7, 2.60 ERA, 24 G, 24 GS, 148 2/3 IP, 117 H, 50 R, 43 ER, 12 HR, 51 BB, 139 SO, 1.130 WHIP
- Career at Citizens Bank Park: 6-4, 2.62 ERA, 13 G, 13 GS, 82 1/3 IP, 58 H, 28 R, 24 ER, 8 HR, 32 BB, 90 SO, 1.093 WHIP
Gonzalez lasted just one inning in his most recent outing, June 25 against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. The left-hander retired three of four batters in the first, but failed to retire any of his seven batters in the second, en route to the early exit. In total, Gonzalez surrendered six runs on a single, double and home run, along with five walks spanning 62 pitches and just 29 strikes.
The left-hander threw five shutout innings in the Nationals' 7-3 win against the Phillies on May 4, allowing just two doubles to Santana and second baseman Cesar Hernandez.
RHP Jake Arrieta, Age: 32
- 2018 vs. WSN: 0-0, 1.50 ERA, 1 G, 1 GS, 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 2 SO, 0.667 WHIP
- Career vs. WSN: 1-2, 5.02 ERA, 10 G, 10 GS, 52 IP, 54 H, 32 R, 29 ER, 4 HR, 27 BB, 50 SO, 1.558 WHIP
- Career at Citizens Bank Park: 5-2, 1.99 ERA, 10 G, 10 GS, 63 1/3 IP, 45 H, 21 R, 14 ER, 7 HR, 18 BB, 59 SO, 0.995 WHIP
Arrieta has surrendered a league-worst 14 unearned runs already this season, the most by a Phillies pitcher since Paul Byrd (17) in 1999. As ESPN's Tim Kurkjian notes, the all-time record is 51 set by Hippo Vaughn in 1914, and the last pitcher to allow 20 unearned runs was Rick Porcello last season.
Starting Lineups:
| Washington Nationals (42-39) | Philadelphia Phillies (44-37) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | Bats | Position | Player | Bats | ||
| 1 | RF | Adam Eaton | L | 1 | 2B | Cesar Hernandez | S |
| 2 | SS | Trea Turner | R | 2 | 1B | Rhys Hoskins | R |
| 3 | LF | Juan Soto | L | 3 | CF | Odubel Herrera | L |
| 4 | 3B | Anthony Rendon | R | 4 | RF | Aaron Altherr | R |
| 5 | CF | Bryce Harper | L | 5 | SS | Scott Kingery | R |
| 6 | 2B | Daniel Murphy | L | 6 | 3B | Jesmuel Valentin | S |
| 7 | 1B | Mark Reynolds | R | 7 | C | Jorge Alfaro | R |
| 8 | C | Pedro Severino | R | 8 | LF | Nick Williams | L |
| 9 | P | Gio Gonzalez | R | 9 | P | Jake Arrieta | R |
Broadcast Information:
- First pitch: 1:35 p.m.
- TV: NBCSP, MLBN
- Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
Game Notes:
- The Phillies (.543) currently hold a 1 1/2-game lead for the second National League Wild Card spot. They trail the Atlanta Braves (.580) by three games for the division lead.
- The Phillies have won five of their first nine meetings with the Nationals this season (5-4), despite being outscored 48-47. The Phillies have not won a season series against the Nationals since 2014 (10-9).
- Hernandez has a five-game hitting streak, slashing .421/.476/.526 with three runs scored, six singles, two doubles, two walks and four strikeouts spanning 21 plate appearances.
- Hernandez is 8-32 (.250/.314/.375) lifetime against Gonzalez, while third baseman Maikel Franco has just one single in 21 at-bats (.048/.091/.048).
In the News:
- Phillies' Altherr on Brink of Rare Feat Ahead of All-Star Break [Link]
- Phillies' Velasquez suffers right forearm contusion on game-saving play [Link]
- Phillies Check In on Fulmer, Padres Relievers [Link]
- Royals ‘Peeking In’ on Phillies Prospects As Clubs Discuss Moustakas Trade [Link]
- Phillies Brass Were Not ‘Unanimous’ in Drafting 3B Alec Bohm [Link]
- Phillies' Potential Blockbuster Acquisitions of Hamels, Beltre, Diekman Could Propel Club Into Postseason [Link]
- 'Increasingly Possible' Former Phillies Ace Hamels Dealt Before All-Star Game [Link]
- Hoskins becomes fastest Phillie ever to reach 30 home runs [Link]
- Kapler: Phillies GM Klentak Is 'Excellent Evaluator, Dealmaker' [Link]
- Kapler: ‘No Doubt’ Arrieta Will Take Phillies Into Postseason [Link]
What's Next:
Monday, July 2, 2018: Off day
Tuesday, July 3, 2018: vs. Baltimore Orioles, 7:05 p.m.
- Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pa.
- TBA vs. RHP Zach Eflin (6-2, 3.02 ERA)
- TV: NBCSP; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
