Phillies salvage series finale, walk off against franchise saves leader Jonathan Papelbon, Nationals

By: Matt Rappa, managing editor

Final: Phillies 3, Nationals 2 ❖ Attendance: 37,378

PHILADELPHIA — Despite giving up a late, extra-innings home run to right fielder Bryce Harper — his sixth consecutive home run at Citizens Bank Park — the Philadelphia Phillies (6-7) would go on to rally back and win against their franchise saves leader Jonathan Papelbon and the division-rival Washington Nationals (9-2).

A three-hit, two-run inning was highlighted with a walk-off single by shortstop Freddy Galvis. In four appearances against his former team since being dealt in July of last season, Papelbon is now 1-2 with two blown saves, 12.27 ERA (five earned runs) and 2.455 WHIP ratio over 3 2/3 innings.

In salvaging the series finale — ending the Nationals' seven-game win streak — the Phillies avoided their second series sweep of the season and their first at home since Sept. 14-16, 2015.

WP: Jeanmar Gomez (1-0, 2.57 ERA) ❖ LP: Jonathan Papelbon (0-1, 4.76 ERA)

Hub: Game Summary ❖ Starting Pitchers ❖ At the Plate ❖ Bullpen ❖ What's Next

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Game Summary

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
WAS	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	8	0
PHI	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	3	7	0

The first run of the contest came off the bat of catcher Carlos Ruiz in his sixth game. The 37-year-old — who launched just two home runs over 86 games in 2015 — went deep for the second time already of the current season via a solo home run. Ruiz was 6-25 with three doubles and four runs-batted-in lifetime against Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez prior.

Washington did not get on the board until top of the sixth inning — right-hander Charlie Morton's final inning of work after six frames of one-run baseball on 80 pitches. With runners on the corners and two outs, Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon singled to right field, scoring shortstop Stephen Drew from third for the game-tying run.

Over his last 13 1/3 innings of work, Morton has surrendered just one earned run, striking out 13 batters.

The game would remain tied, 1-1, heading into the ninth. After allowing a leadoff double to left fielder Jayson Werth — the third of the series against his former team — right-hander Jeanmar Gomez maintained the even score by retiring three of the next four batters, two via strikeout.

In the latter half of the inning with two outs, Ryan Howard entered as a pinch-hitter for first baseman Darin Ruf. He drove the ball to deep right field in opposition of right-hander Blake Treinen, however the ball was caught to send the Phillies into their first extra-innings game of the season.

With two outs in the top of the 10th, Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper homered to deep center field, giving the Nationals a 2-1 lead. This was Harper's sixth consecutive game hitting a home run in Philadelphia, joining Chicago Cubs Hall of Fame infielder Ernie Banks as the only other player in Major League history to accomplish such feat.

The Phillies would rally back in the bottom of the 10th, however, in opposition of their franchise's all-time saves leader, Jonathan Papelbon. Two batters after right fielder Peter Bourjos hit his team-leading fifth double of the season, pinch-hitter Andres Blanco tied the game at two with a RBI-single to shallow left field.

The next batter, shortstop Freddy Galvis, came up clutch with a walk-off RBI-single over the head of Werth in left field — Papelbon's first blown save of the season and third overall since being dealt to the nation's capital last July.

3rd career walk-off hit for Freddy Galvis

They've come against Aroldis Chapman, Freddy Garcia and Jonathan Papelbon

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 17, 2016