The visiting Washington Nationals began a 3-game series with the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park with an 11 inning, 8-7 victory. Former Phils’ controversial closer Jonathan Papelbon blew a Save opportunity in the bottom of the 10th, but was credited with the Win as the Nats pushed the decisive run across in the next frame.
Despite the win, the Nats remain 9.5 games behind both the New York Mets in the NL East, and the Chicago Cubs in the race for the final NL Wildcard playoff slot.
Papelbon wasn’t the only ex-Phil to play a huge role in the outcome of this one. Jayson Werth banged a pair of home runs, and now has 5 career multi-homer games. Four of those have come at Citizens Bank Park, the first three as a member of the Phillies.
Jayson Werth (WSH): 5th career grand slam (4 of them have come at Citizens Bank Park)
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 15, 2015
The game began as a matchup between a pair of outstanding righthanders, veteran Jordan Zimmermann for Washington and rookie Aaron Nola for the Phillies. But neither was very successful on the night. Nola lasted just 5 innings, allowing 6 earned runs on 9 hits. He did have an outstanding 8/1 K:BB ratio, setting a new career high for strikeouts in a game.
Zimmermann lasted 6 innings, surrendering 6 earned runs on 7 hits, matching Nola’s 8/1 K:BB ratio. Both pitchers threw strikes, but allowed a few too many of those to catch the fat part of the plate.
Anthony Rendon had a 4-hit night, including his 5th home run of the season in the top of the 1st inning, to help Werth pace the Washington attack. Nats’ NL MVP candidate Bryce Harper smoked his 37th of the year off Nola in the 3rd, and later made an outstanding running, sliding catch and throw along the right field wall to help mitigate a Phillies rally.
On the Phillies side of things, Ryan Howard belted his 23rd home run of the season, tying his total of a year ago. But Howard then had to leave the game with what was later described as a left knee contusion. He is day-to-day at this point.
The Phillies fell behind Zimmermann and the Nationals by 6-2 heading to the home 6th, but then a Darnell Sweeney RBI single made it a 6-3 game, and Cody Asche ripped a game-tying, 3-run homer to right center to tie things up.
That tie would hold into extra innings, and in the top of the 10th, Werth crushed his 2nd of the game to push the Nats back on top by 7-6. With one ex-Philly doing the damage on offense, another was sent out to preserve the lead and close it out.
Papelbon ran in from the bullpen to a chorus of boos from the few thousand remaining Philly faithful, who well-remembered that it had been exactly one year ago on this date that the reliever had blown a lead against the Miami Marlins, been booed lustily, and in response had grabbed his crotch in what appeared to be a clear gesture to the fans.
Despite the fact that Papelbon later said he was simply making an equipment “adjustment”, not only were the fans not buying that possibility, but neither was the umpire, who tossed him out of the game.
So Papelbon was now on the mound one year later in a Save situation against the Phillies for the first time since being dealt away to Washington at this year’s trade deadline.
Much to the home fans delight, Freddy Galvis drilled a 1-1 pitch deep into the right field stands. The no-doubt-about-it solo homer tied things again at 7-7, and the blown Save by Papelbon sent the crowd into delirium. The big righty escaped without further damage, and the game moved into the 11th inning.
In the top of that 11th, Danny Espinosa led off as a pinch-hitter for Papelbon, and drew a walk off Luis Garcia. Espinosa then moved up to 2nd on a passed ball by Phillies’ catcher Cameron Rupp, to 3rd on Rendon’s 4th hit, and then scored on a grounder to 2nd by Yunel Escobar.
Nationals’ embattled skipper Matt Williams turned to former starter Doug Fister now to close it out, and Fister proceeded to walk Rupp to leadoff the Phillies half of the 11th. But Fister then retired the next three batters in order to end it, earning himself a Save, with the victory going to Papelbon (4-2) and the loss hung on Garcia’s (3-5) record.