Nationals 4 - 8 Phillies
Final
  for this game

Nats try to salvage finale in Philly

Aug 27, 2014 - 2:13 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - And just that quickly, a franchise-record win streak is a losing streak.

The Washington Nationals visit Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday night for the third and final game of a series with the Philadelphia Phillies after having experienced both sides of the momentum coin in the last several days.

The Nationals had won 12 of 13 games -- including 10 in a row during one stretch -- and expanded their edge atop the National League's East Division before encountering the last place Phillies and proceeding to drop the first two games of the series.

Washington hasn't lost three in a row since late June. Still, the Nationals are just 2-4 in their last six against Philadelphia and dropped three in a row at Citizens Bank Park two years ago.

Doug Fister gets the call for the visitors while trying to restart a streak of his own.

The right-hander had allowed two or fewer runs in seven straight starts before he was dinged for four in six innings of a 10-3 defeat against San Francisco on Friday.

He's 2-1 in three starts against the Phillies, but dropped a 2-1 decision on Aug. 1.

Philadelphia aims for the sweep after having won five of six games while its pitchers have compiled a 2.68 earned run average.

Right-hander Kyle Kendrick gets the start Wednesday, with a chance to shrink an ERA of 6.10 since June 22 -- worst in the National League.

He beat St. Louis, 5-4, on Friday to end a four-start drought. His ERA in the first inning of games is 9.69 and opponents are bating .303 against him the first time around, before the average dips 36 points in subsequent at-bats.

"It's not in my head at all; it's really not. I don't know. It's one of those things this year," he said. "You just have to battle. I'm a competitor. I don't want to lose, so I just had to keep battling. That's all you can do. Keep making pitches, keep grinding and try to keep your team in the game."

He's lost 10 of 15 career decisions against Washington -- his most against any team. In losing the last four in a row, his ERA is 8.02.

On Tuesday, Carlos Ruiz's sacrifice fly in the eighth inning drove in Ben Revere with the deciding run as the Phillies downed Washington, 4-3.

Revere was originally called out on a groundout to short leading off the eighth, but replay showed Ian Desmond's throw pulled Kevin Frandsen's foot off the first-base bag. Revere stole second, moved to third on a flyout and scored without a throw on Ruiz's deep fly to center field.

Jonathan Papelbon worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his 33rd save, while Ken Giles (3-1) earned the win by striking out the side in the eighth after Cole Hamels gave up a game-tying solo homer to Asdrubal Cabrera. Hamels was otherwise solid in allowing three runs on eight hits and a walk.

Freddy Galvis went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and Darin Ruf added a solo blast for the victors.

Gio Gonzalez surrendered both home runs after only allowing two over his previous 12 starts. He was charged with three runs on six hits as his winless streak ran to nine straight outings.

The Nats are 8-7 versus the Phillies this season.






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