Aaron Nola bounced back from the shortest outing of his career to throw seven strong innings, and the Philadelphia Phillies took advantage of the Washington Nationals’ sloppy outfield defense to rally for a 3-2 victory on Wednesday night.
Bryce Harper, who won the 2015 NL MVP during a seven-year stint with the Nationals, delivered the go-ahead RBI single in the seventh to help the Phillies win their third in a row. The defending World Series champion Nationals have dropped three consecutive games to drop to a season-high six games under .500.
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Aaron Nola bounced back from the shortest outing of his career to throw seven strong innings, and the Philadelphia Phillies took advantage of the Washington Nationals’ sloppy outfield defense to rally for a 3-2 victory on Wednesday night.
The Phillies trailed 2-1 entering the seventh against Washington starter Patrick Corbin, who yielded a solo homer to Rhys Hoskins in the third but had otherwise avoided serious trouble. Didi Gregorius led off with a hit to left that Juan Soto dove for and missed, turning a likely single into a triple.
Soto led off the second with a first-pitch blast into the left field seats, his eighth homer of the season. Washington shortstop Trea Turner singled in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to 12 games.
KIEBOOM OPTIONED
Phillies: RHP Spencer Howard (0-1, 6.17 ERA) makes his fourth career start as the three-game series concludes. Howard’s longest outing of the season is 4 2/3 innings.
Washington Nationals' Juan Soto (22) celebrates his home run next to Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto during the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
Nola (3-2), who threw a career-low 2 2/3 innings Friday in a loss at Atlanta, gave up two runs on five hits while striking out eight. Tommy Hunter tossed a perfect eighth, and recently acquired closer Brandon Workman escaped a two-on, one-out jam by striking out Eric Thames and Victor Robles for his second save since joining the Phillies from Boston and sixth overall.
Washington Nationals' Howie Kendrick (47) is out at second as Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Jean Segura throws to first but is unable to put out Nationals' Luis Garcia during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
The Phillies trailed 2-1 entering the seventh against Washington starter Patrick Corbin, who yielded a solo homer to Rhys Hoskins in the third but had otherwise avoided serious trouble. Didi Gregorius led off with a hit to left that Juan Soto dove for and missed, turning a likely single into a triple.
That ended Corbin’s night, and Alec Bohm greeted reliever Will Harris (0-1) with a single to right to tie the game. After a fielder's-choice grounder put Roman Quinn on first, Andrew McCutchen hit a routine fly to deep right-center, but Robles and Adam Eaton collided in what was scored a single. Two batters later, the speedy Quinn easily scored from second on Harper’s looping single to left to give the Phillies the lead.
Phillies manager Joe Girardi became the 65th manager in major league history to win 1,000 games, improving to 1,000-808 in 12 seasons with Florida (2006), the New York Yankees (2008-17) and Philadelphia (2020).
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola throws during the second inning of the team's baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
Soto led off the second with a first-pitch blast into the left field seats, his eighth homer of the season. Washington shortstop Trea Turner singled in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to 12 games.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: LHP Sean Doolittle (right knee) was activated from the injured list. Doolittle is 0-1 with a 15.00 ERA in five appearances this season. … Manager Dave Martinez said RHP Stephen Strasburg (carpal tunnel neuritis) underwent surgery Wednesday. The Nationals announced Saturday that Strasburg, last year’s World Series MVP, was done for the season after going 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA in two starts. … LHP Seth Romero will undergo surgery to put a pin in his fractured right hand.
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola delivers a pitch during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
KIEBOOM OPTIONED
Washington optioned rookie INF Carter Kieboom to its alternate site. Kieboom is hitting .200 with no homers, 5 RBIs and 20 strikeouts in 50 at-bats, and grounded into two inning-ending double plays in Tuesday’s loss to Philadelphia.
UP NEXT
Washington Nationals' Juan Soto (22) celebrates his home run next to Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto, bottom, during the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
Phillies: RHP Spencer Howard (0-1, 6.17 ERA) makes his fourth career start as the three-game series concludes. Howard’s longest outing of the season is 4 2/3 innings.
Nationals: RHP Max Scherzer (2-1, 4.31) is 11-3 with a 2.62 ERA in 20 career starts against Philadelphia.
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Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper stretches before the team's baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)
Washington Nationals' Juan Soto (22) celebrates his home run next to Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto during the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, in Washington. (AP PhotoNick Wass)