Phillies can’t pull off four-game sweep, drop series finale to Nationals

Final Score: Nationals 6, Phillies 4

After taking an early two-run lead on Sunday, the Phillies found themselves down by two heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. Taijuan Walker allowed three runs on two home runs in his 4 2/3 innings of work that put the Nationals ahead by a run. Back-to-back two-out hits surrendered by Tanner Banks then gave Washington a two-run cushion.

The Phillies’ offense, tasked with facing right-hander Jake Irvin, went quiet after scoring their two early runs. After a Trea Turner home run began the bottom of the third, Irvin settled in, retiring 10 of the next 11 batters he faced. But the Phillies’ lineup didn’t quit.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh hit back-to-back home runs, tying the game at four. Irvin was finished after the sixth, so with the scored tied entering the seventh, the game became a battle of the bullpens.

Unfortunately for the Phillies, the Nationals’ bullpen worked three scoreless innings while their own ‘pen gave up two runs over the game’s final three frames.

Pitching in the eighth inning, Matt Strahm found himself in quick trouble. With the bases loaded and nobody out, the Nats had Strahm on the ropes but weren’t able to fully cash in, scoring just one run on a Jacob Young sacrifice fly. Strahm did a nice job navigating himself out of the jam, but his hard work will mostly go unnoticed since his club couldn’t fight their way back into the game.

After going down in order in the eighth, Cal Stevenson grounded into a double play after a leadoff single by Edmundo Sosa in the ninth to put an end to any threat the Phillies were hoping to mount together. Garrett Stubbs then grounded out to end the game.

Highlights

• Three straight singles for the Phillies in the first inning led to their first run of the ball game. The third of those hits came off the bat of Nick Castellanos.

• Turner’s home run was his first since July 24.

• Keibert Ruiz hit the first of two home runs off Walker, which tied the game at two.
• Alex Call hit the second homer off Walker, giving Washington a 3-2 lead.
• The back-to-back hits Banks surrendered that gave the Nats a 4-2 lead were a José Tena double and a Travis Blankenhorn single.
• Stott’s homer in the sixth came on a 2-1 pitch.

• Marsh’s game-tying long ball traveled 399 feet.

• Young’s eighth-inning sac fly put the Nationals up 5-4.
• James Wood added an insurance run for the Nats in the top of the ninth with a solo home run.

Notes

• Alec Bohm extended his on-base streak to 35 games with a single in the first inning. It’s the longest on-base streak for a Phillies player since Chase Utley reached base in 35 consecutive games in 2006.
• Before Sunday’s game, Rob Thomson told reporters the Phillies’ pitching plans for this week’s series in Atlanta against the Braves. Zack Wheeler will pitch the series opener on Tuesday, followed by Aaron Nola on Wednesday and TBA on Thursday. Cristopher Sánchez could go on Thursday, depending on how the left-hander feels after throwing a complete game on Saturday.

Ticket IQ Next Game

• Tuesday, August 20 vs. Atlanta Braves at Truist Park
• 7:20 p.m. ET
• TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia and TBS (out-of-market only)
• Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP
• Spanish Radio: WTTM 1680

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