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Herrera lifts Phillies over Nationals in 10th

Apr 12, 2015 - 6:20 AM Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Odubel Herrera drove in the game- winning run with his first career hit during the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday.

Carlos Ruiz singled off Tanner Roark (0-1) to start the inning and moved to second on Grady Sizemore's deep fly out to left. Herrera then smacked a grounder down the right-field line and the ball ricocheted off the fence in foul territory to score Ruiz.

"Special moment and a special night for us," Phillies left fielder Ben Revere said.

Ryan Howard doubled twice and drove in a run and Ruiz also had two hits and an RBI for the Phillies, who have won the first two of this three-game set and are over .500 for the first time since May 4, 2014.

Dustin McGowan (1-0) earned the win after tossing a scoreless 10th and starter Cole Hamels surrendered just one run on two hits and two walks with five strikeouts over seven solid frames.

Wilson Ramos homered and Clint Robinson provided a pinch-hit RBI single in Washington's third straight defeat. Starter Doug Fister allowed six hits over 6 1/3 scoreless innings.

"We've struggled a little bit offensively and guys in scoring position, but we'll get better at that," Nationals manager Matt Williams said.

Jeanmar Gomez relieved Hamels to start the eighth inning and was greeted by Danny Espinosa, who stroked a slider over the head of Sizemore in right field for a double. Espinosa moved to third on a wild pitch and came home on Robinson's pinch-hit bloop single into center field.

The Phillies tied the game in the bottom half off Blake Treinen. Howard doubled off the top of the left-field wall to plate Chase Utley, who got aboard with a one-out single. Pinch-runner Cesar Hernandez replaced Howard and came home on Ruiz's grounder up the middle.

Sizemore continued the offensive outburst with a double down the right-field line, but Ruiz was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice and Andres Blanco struck out to end the inning.

Jeff Francoeur led off the bottom of the ninth with a grounder down the right- field line and slid into second base for a double. Craig Stammen struck out Ben Revere and Freddy Galvis, intentionally walked Utley and fanned Hernandez to send the game into extra innings.

With one out in the 10th inning, McGowan issued a one-out walk to Michael Taylor, who stole second and rounded third on Yunel Escobar's single to left, but was thrown out at home by Revere. After intentionally walking Bryce Harper, McGowan struck out Zimmerman to end the frame.

In the first inning, Escobar singled with one out, advanced to second following a Harper walk and moved to third after Ryan Zimmerman hit into a fielder's choice that retired Harper at second, but was left stranded after Ramos grounded out.

Utley got aboard on a fielder's choice with two outs in the home half, but was thrown out at home on a Howard double by Espinosa, who relayed the throw from Harper in right to end the inning.

Ramos drove a fastball over the wall in right field for a 1-0 Nationals lead with one out in the fourth.

Game Notes

Philadelphia won its third straight series against the Nationals and its fifth straight game at Citizens Bank Park ... Hamels has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his last 15 starts against the Nationals ... Herrera was 0-for-8 before his game-winning hit ... Washington went 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position, while Philadelphia went 2-for-13.