Phillies sweep Nationals thanks to 3-run 9th inning

Rebecca Serad

April 28 2016

By: Rebecca Serad, contributor

Final: Philadelphia Phillies 3, Washington Nationals 0 ❖ Attendance: 22,112

WASHINGTON, D.C. — After a forty minute rain delay, it was clear that today's game between the Philadelphia Phillies (12-10) and the Washington Nationals (14-7) would be a pitcher's duel. Both starters, Aaron Nola for the Phillies and Tanner Roark for the Nationals, were on top of their game. The two pitchers had similar lines, each throwing seven innings and allowing two hits. Nola was removed after throwing only 77 pitches, with 54 of them being strikes.

After the seventh inning, it became a battle of the bullpens. Ultimately, former Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon faltered and allowed three inherited runners to score in the ninth inning. That was all the Phils needed to secure today's victory, as well as the three game sweep of the Nationals. This was the first three-game sweep at Nationals Park since May 2009, as well as the fifth shut-out by Phillies pitching this season.

WP: Elvis Araujo (1-0, 2.45 ERA) ❖ LP: Felipe Rivero (0-1, 3.86 ERA) ❖ SV: Jeanmar Gomez (7)

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

Game Summary

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

The first three innings flew by as a result of the dominant pitching by both Aaron Nola and Tanner Roark, for the Phillies and Nationals respectively. Maikel Franco walked with two outs in the top of the fourth to bring Ryan Howard to the plate. He followed with the first hit of the day for the Phillies: a single to left field. This put runners on first and second with two outs. It seemed like the Phils were starting to get into a groove against Roark, but he retired Cameron Rupp for the third out.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Matt den Dekker walked. He stole second during Danny Espinosa's at-bat, and then moved up to third on Espinosa's ground-out. Bryce Harper was retired on an excellent play by Phils second baseman Cesar Hernandez to end the threat.

Severino got a one out walk in the bottom of the eighth and moved up to second on a fielder's choice by pinch-hitter Chris Heisey. Phillies reliever Dalier Hinojosa was injured by a hard-hit ball by the next hitter, den Dekker, that went off his bare hand. den Dekker reached base on the play, which was ruled a hit, to put runners on first and third with two outs. Anthony Rendon, pinch-hitting for Espinosa, worked out a walk against Hinojosa's replacement, Elvis Araujo, to load the bases for Harper. Araujo was able to strike Harper out on three pitches to end the inning.

Odubel Herrera led off the top of the ninth with a single to left-center field. After originally attempting to bunt him over to second, Freddy Galvis swung away with two strikes and smacked a double to left field. This put runners on second and third with no outs. Franco was intentionally walked to load the bases. Darin Ruf came in the game to pinch-hit for Howard and struck out for the first out of the inning. Cameron Rupp hit a double over Harper's head in right field to score two runs. After a pop-out by Hernandez, David Lough hit a chopper off the glove of Nationals reliever Jonathan Papelbon that bounced out of reach of the two middle infielders for a single. Franco scored on the play to give the Phillies a three run lead. Papelbon got the final out of the inning, but the damage had already been done.

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Starting Pitchers