Sanchez becomes first 15-game winner in majors in Phillies' 7-3 victory over Nationals

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Cristopher Sanchez became the first 15-game winner in the majors this season, Bryson Stott had two of Philadelphia's eight doubles and the Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 7-3 on Thursday night for their fifth victory in six games.

Sanchez (15-4) allowed two runs on six hits in five innings for his fifth consecutive victory.

Nationals starter Miles Mikolas (3-9) gave up six runs on 12 hits in five innings. On Wednesday night as a pinch hitter in the 11th inning in the Nationals’ 10-4 victory, he put down an RBI squeeze bunt for a base hit in his first at-bat since 2021.

Consecutive RBI doubles by Phillies newcomer Luis Arraez and Alec Bohm forged a 2-0 lead in the first. Justin Crawford plated J.T. Realmuto with a second-inning single, then Bryce Harper, Brandon Marsh and Stott doubled in a three-run third to make it 6-1. The Phillies had 16 hits.

Nationals left fielder Andrew Pinckney had a solo home run in the fourth for his first career hit.

Nationals: Washington will host the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, with RHP Cade Cavalli (8-5, 3.52 ERA) on the mound. The Reds had yet to announce a starter.

Phillies: Philadelphia begins a three-game home series against Toronto on Friday, RHP Zack Wheeler (10-2, 2.49) was set to face Toronto RHP Jose Soriano (9-6, 3.29 ERA).

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Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Bryson Stott catches a pop foul out by Washington Nationals' CJ Abrams during the seventh inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Kyle Schwarber follows through after hitting a run-scoring single against Washington Nationals pitcher Max Kranick during the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Washington Nationals' Andrew Pinckney follows through after hitting a home run against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sánchez during the fourth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Cristopher Sánchez pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Phillies' Cristopher Sánchez pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

A man charged with starting one of the wildfires in Spokane, Washington, that have destroyed hundreds of buildings planned the crime for weeks and researched when the weather would be best for igniting it, police said.

In an interview after his arrest, Aaron Farinacci said “fire is powerful, beautiful, and that things that go through fire experience a kind of rebirth," Spokane County Detective Michael Drapeau wrote in a court filing Wednesday.

Farinacci, 37, is charged with starting the Old Trails fire, one of three blazes in the Spokane area that have burned more than 850 buildings, destroying whole neighborhoods and streets. Tens of thousands of people were forced to evacuate and many still can't return home. No deaths or serious injuries have been reported.

Farinacci is also charged in connection with four smaller fires ignited in the summer of 2025 and last month.

He was scheduled to be arraigned on five first-degree arson charges Thursday, but his lawyer asked for a competency evaluation before he enters a plea. Spokane Superior Court Judge Jeremy Schmidt said he would review that request. He set bond for $2 million, ruling that Farinacci was a risk to community safety, a flight risk and that there was potential for a violent offense.

Defense attorney Colin Charbonneau did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

Farinacci denied starting the Old Trails fire when police initially contacted him, but during an interview with Drapeau, he confessed to that fire as well as others last year and last month, the detective wrote. That led to the four additional arson charges.

He told the detective that he always carries marijuana or cigarettes so he would have a legitimate reason to have a lighter and matches.

“He knows arson is an easy crime to get away from if you have time, and he had time,” Drapeau said.

Farinacci researched the weather to predict a day that would be hot and windy and have low humidity for starting the Old Trails fire, Drapeau said. He also looked up the work of a well-known serial arsonist and purchased items to make a “time delay device” for igniting a wildfire, using notebook paper, matches, a cigarette and a rubber band, the detective said.

Farinacci picked Saturday, Aug. 1, to start the fire because he knew there would be strong winds — reaching 50 mph (80 kph), the detective said.

Farinacci said he knew it was going to get bad but claimed he didn’t intend for it to grow as much as it did, Drapeau said.

Paul Child, 64, has been credited with leading police to Farinacci. He was driving with his grandson along some railroad tracks when he saw a man standing there and looking toward nearby trees. About 10 minutes later, the man was still there.

“He was bent over in the brush, acting nervous,” Child told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “You get the feeling this guy’s up to something.”

Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said Thursday that it’s going to be weeks before people can safely return to their homes in areas burned in the Spokane fires.

Drapeau said Farinacci also admitted responsibility for 25 fires near his apartment building in summer 2025. Most were near the Spokane River or the Centennial Trail.

Farinacci admitted to starting the Aubrey White fire that ignited on July 6, 2025, near the Centennial Trail and threatened homes and structures, the court filing said. It led to evacuations and road closures. An investigation determined it was caused by arson, but police didn't have any suspects at the time.

Farinacci also faces arson charges for the Meenach fire that started on July 8, 2025, the Fort George fire on Aug. 11, 2025, and the Indian Bluff fire on July 24, 2026.

Farinacci served about a decade in prison after killing his father in Mesa, Arizona, in 2010. He also shot himself. He was charged with murder but pleaded guilty in 2012 to manslaughter and aggravated assault. Farinacci’s lawyer repeatedly raised concerns about his mental health during the case.

Drapeau said Farinacci indicated that he moved to the Copper River Apartments in the Spokane area in October 2022.

The detective said Farinacci's son was born in 2025, and he started having difficulty dealing with “life issues” and began smoking marijuana.

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Associated Press reporter Hallie Golden contributed to this story from Seattle.

Scorched trees stand over the remains of Riverside Real Life church Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, after a wildfire hit the northern part of Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

A burned truck sits in a driveway near several destroyed homes in a residential neighborhood Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, after a wildfire hit the northern part of Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Crews work near several burned down houses after a wildfire hit the northwest part of Spokane, Wash., Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

A burned section of trees is marked with pink tape Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, in an area near the origin point of the Old Trails Fire, after a man was arrested, suspected of starting the wildfire in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)