Scherzer, Ramos lead sweep as Phillies fall under .500

Theo DeRosa

June 1 2016

By: Theo DeRosa, contributor

Final: Nationals 7, Phillies 2

PHILADELPHIA — When Citizens Bank Park opened in 2004, the Washington Nationals did not exist.

Twelve years and 1,000 South Philly home games later, the Nationals, having relocated from Montreal in 2005, finished off a sweep of the host Phillies.

Max Scherzer pitched eight strong innings and Wilson Ramos drove in four runs as the Nats handed the reeling Phillies their sixth straight loss, which came in the 1,000th regular-season game played at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies, who have been consecutively swept in Chicago by the Cubs and, now, at home by Washington, fell below the .500 mark Wednesday night, holding a record of 26–27.

WP: Max Scherzer (6-4, 3.87 ERA) ❖ LP: Adam Morgan (1-4, 7.07 ERA)

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
WSH	1	0	0	1	0	4	1	0	0	7	11	0
PHI	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	2	6	1

Adam Morgan hit Daniel Murphy in the hand with two outs in the first to set up the Nationals' first run. Ryan Zimmerman drove a ball into the right-field corner to bring Murphy home (with help from a bobble by David Lough).

The Nats got another run in the fourth as Anthony Rendon led off the frame with a double and came around to score on a bloop hit from catcher Wilson Ramos.

Through the first five innings, Max Scherzer never faced a real threat from the Phillies' offense. He allowed just two hits in the first five frames, a bloop from Cameron Rupp and a grounder from Odubel Herrera in the second and third, respectively.

Zimmerman and Rendon got back-to-back hits to lead off the sixth; Ramos then crushed a ball into the right-field stands to give the Nats a 5–0 lead. Ramos went 3-for-4 Wednesday. After Morgan struck out Michael A. Taylor, Danny Espinosa homered to left to make it a 6–0 game.

Morgan gave up six runs in six innings; he has allowed 21 runs in his last 19 1/3 innings. Morgan's ERA is up to 7.07 on the year.

Jimmy Paredes, acquired today for cash considerations from Toronto, made his Phillies debut in the bottom of the sixth. Pinch-hitting for Morgan, Paredes struck out against Scherzer.

The Phillies did threaten in the sixth as Herrera walked and Andrés Blanco doubled, but a hard liner from Tommy Joseph with two outs found the glove of Nationals left fielder Chris Heisey. Joseph, despite going o-4 Wednesday, will see more playing time in the next series as Pete Mackanin will bench Ryan Howard for at least the next few days.

Brett Oberholtzer replaced Morgan in the seventh. With one out, Daniel Murphy tripled on a ball just over the head of Herrera, scoring on a sac fly from Zimmerman.

A Freddy Galvis walk and a two-run homer for Tyler Goeddel broke the shutout for Scherzer. He allowed two runs, five hits, and two walks, striking out 11 Phillies in eight innings.

Elvis Araujo pitched a scoreless eighth for the Phillies, working around Taylor's leadoff single.

Scherzer got through a scoreless eighth of his own, his last inning, allowing just a single to Blanco.

Araujo stayed in for the ninth, pitching a scoreless frame.

Blake Treinen replaced Scherzer for Washington in the ninth. After putting two on with two outs, he was lifted for Oliver Pérez to face pinch-hitter Howard. Pérez retired Howard to end the game and sweep the series.

The Phillies try to rebound from two straight sweeps and six straight losses Thursday as they begin a four-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers. Jerad Eickhoff will take on Chase Anderson at 7:05 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park.

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