Nationals 2 - 3 Phillies
Final
  for this game

Phillies edge Nationals

Sep 3, 2013 - 5:14 AM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Carlos Ruiz's go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning lifted the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-2 win over the Washington Nationals in the opener of a three-game set.

After the Nationals went ahead in the top of the eighth on Scott Hairston's sacrifice fly, the Phillies answered with a pair of two-out runs in the home eighth.

Cesar Hernandez worked a two-out walk against Tyler Clippard (6-3) before Jimmy Rollins' double into right-center plated Hernandez for the game-tying run. Chase Utley was intentionally walked to bring up Ruiz, who grounded a single into the hole on the right side of the infield to bring home Rollins for the go-ahead run.

Washington had runners on the corners with one away in the ninth, but Jonathan Papelbon struck out both Wilson Ramos and Anthony Rendon to notch his 24th save of the season.

Ryan Zimmerman's two-out solo homer in the first was the only run Cole Hamels allowed over seven solid innings. He fanned eight and surrendered just two hits in the no-decision for Philadelphia, which moved to 10-8 during Ryne Sandberg's reign as the team's interim manager.

"I felt like he did his job there, we had fresh arms in the bullpen," Sandberg said on his rationale on taking Hamels out after seven innings and just 87 pitches.

Hamels, who threw 69 of his 87 pitches for strikes, is 2-1 with a minuscule 1.98 ERA over his last eight starts.

B.J. Rosenberg (2-0) recorded the last out in the eighth to pick up the win.

Washington starter Stephen Strasburg struck out 10 and gave up just an unearned run on two hits and a pair of walks over six frames for the Nationals, who moved 7 1/2 games behind the Cincinnati Reds for the NL's second wild-card spot.

"We had opportunities. but we couldn't get it done," Nationals manger Davey Johnson said.

Ruiz's one-out RBI single in the fourth tied the contest at 1-1.

Game Notes

The Phillies were 2-for-4 with runners in scoring position, while the Nationals finished 0-for-3 with RISP ... Ruiz had two of Philadelphia's four hits.






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