Phillies Fall Short in Finale to Nationals
By Matt Veasey
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | |
| Phillies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Nationals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | x | 3 |
The Philadelphia Phillies dropped the finale of their long weekend series in our nation’s capitol to the host Washington Nationals on Sunday afternoon.
With those in attendance at Nationals Park in our nation’s capitol remembering the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001 and with much of the nation distracted by the opening week of NFL football, the host Nationals held on for a 3-2 victory over the Phillies on Sunday afternoon.
Nationals starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez became the latest hurler to shut down the faltering Phils offense, holding the visitors to just four hits and a single earned run over seven innings while striking out five and walking one batter.
The Phillies starter, Adam Morgan, nearly matched his fellow southpaw, allowing two earned runs on just three hits across six innings, striking out two and walking two.
“I hope to keep it rolling. Having the two-seam and the changeup, being able to throw inside to righties, knowing when to throw inside to righties, really has been huge,” said Morgan per MLB.com contributors.
The Nats scored a 1st inning run off Morgan (2-10) to take the early lead when NL MVP candidate Daniel Murphy doubled home speedy rookie Trea Turner to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
In the top of the 7th, Tommy Joseph drove his 18th homer over the fence in dead-center field to even things up at one apiece.
The Nationals didn’t let it stay tied for long, re-taking the lead in the bottom of the 7th when Anthony Rendon doubled off Phils’ rookie reliever Edubray Ramos to score Bryce Harper, who had led off the inning with a walk.
Rendon would move over to 3rd base on a ground out, and then score on a passed ball by catcher A.J. Ellis to put the Nationals on top by a 3-1 score.
In the top of the 8th, the Phillies again answered with a longball. This time it was Freddy Galvis banging his 17th out to right-center, making it a 3-2 ballgame.
That would be the closest that the Phils would come. Nats’ closer Mark Melancon struck out both Odubel Herrera and Joseph to start the 9th, allowed a base hit to Maikel Franco, but then froze pinch-hitter Cody Asche with a called third strike to end the game and record his 41st Save.
The Phillies will now return home to Citizens Bank Park in South Philly where they will welcome in Pittsburgh, Miami, and the Chicago White Sox on a nine-game homestand.