Final
Phillies' Burnett cools off Nats
Aug 26, 2014 - 6:21 AM Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - A.J. Burnett limited the Nationals' red-hot offense to one run across seven innings as the Philadelphia Phillies eked past Washington, 3-2, in the opener of a three-game series.The NL-East leading Nationals came in 17 1/2 games ahead of the last-place Phillies and were riding a 12-1 stretch that included a season-high 14 runs in Sunday's drubbing of the Giants.
Burnett (7-14) was an unlikely candidate to cool off the division leaders, having lost six straight decisions and failing to get out of the second inning the last time he faced them on Aug. 2.
"It felt good to get back on the horse tonight," said Burnett. "It's the first time I felt like 'me' tonight in a long time."
But the veteran righty recorded a season-high 12 strikeouts and allowed just three hits, the only costly one a homer to Anthony Rendon in the sixth inning.
Cody Asche and Carlos Ruiz both hit solo shots while Domonic Brown went 2- for-3 with an RBI for the Phillies, who are coming off back-to-back series victories for the first time since April.
Tanner Roark (12-8) took the loss despite tossing six quality innings. He was charged with two runs on five hits and a walk.
"The sinker was sinking a lot today," said Roark. "It was a pitcher's duel, that's for sure. But, we've got two more games to come back and try to win the series."
The Phillies broke a scoreless tie in the fourth when Ryan Howard doubled off the right-field wall and scored on Brown's base hit to center.
Asche led off the next frame with a no-doubter to deep right-center to give the hosts a 2-0 lead, but Rendon took Burnett just over the left-field wall in the sixth for his 17th home run of the season.
Brown misplayed Ian Desmond's fly ball in left field into a leadoff double leading off the seventh, but Burnett retired Bryce Harper, Wilson Ramos and Danny Espinosa in order to keep the Phillies in front.
Ruiz extended Philadelphia's lead in the seventh with a home run off Jerry Blevins, an insurance run made necessary when Wilson Ramos poked an opposite- field solo homer off Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth.
After giving up a single following the two-out blast, Papelbon retired Nate Schierholtz on a fielder's choice to notch his 32nd save.
Game Notes
Burnett is 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA against the Nationals at home this year and 0-2 with a 10.57 ERA on the road against them ... Rendon was the only Nationals starter who did not strike out ... Washington went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
- WASHINGTON: 2
PHILADELPHIA: 3
Final
Aug 25 9:56 PM - Wilson Ramos two-out, solo Home Run (7) to right center. Danny Espinosa due up.
Nationals 2, Phillies 3 Top 9, 2 OutsAug 25 9:52 PM - Carlos Ruiz one-out, solo Home Run (4) to left. Cody Asche due up.
Nationals 1, Phillies 3 Bot 7, 1 OutAug 25 9:19 PM - Anthony Rendon one-out, solo Home Run (17) to left. Jayson Werth due up.
Nationals 1, Phillies 2 Top 6, 1 OutAug 25 8:51 PM - Cody Asche lead-off Home Run (9) to right. A.J. Burnett due up.
Nationals 0, Phillies 2 Bot 5, 0 OutsAug 25 8:42 PM - Domonic Brown single to center scored Ryan Howard with one out. On the play, Marlon Byrd advances to second. Runners on first and second and Carlos Ruiz due up.
Nationals 0, Phillies 1 Bot 4, 1 OutAug 25 8:25 PM - WASHINGTON: 0
PHILADELPHIA: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Aug 25 7:08 PM
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