Nationals 3 - 2 Phillies
Final
  for this game

Nats hang on to beat Phillies

Sep 5, 2013 - 4:59 AM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Steve Lombardozzi drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as the Washington Nationals edged the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 in the finale of a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park.

Wilson Ramos worked a leadoff walk off Jake Diekman and was replaced by Jeff Kobernus on the bases. Kobernus moved to second on Scott Hairston's sacrifice bunt before stealing third.

Lombardozzi then ripped a chopper to second and Chase Utley fired home, but Kobernus slid across the plate safely to tally to the go-ahead run.

The Phillies had a chance to tie the game in the home half after Utley singled, then moved to third on a Carlos Ruiz single with one out. Craig Stammen then struck out Darin Ruf, but the ball squirted away from catcher Jhonatan Solano.

Solano, though, recovered the ball and raced back to the plate to catch Utley inches before his outstretched arms touched the plate.

Both Utley and Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg argued the call, but replays showed that home plate umpire Chris Conroy made the correct call.

Jordan Zimmermann (16-8) allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out five over seven innings to pick up his NL-leading 16th win. Rafael Soriano worked a perfect ninth to notch his 38th save.

"It was a huge win for the team," Zimmermann said. "A lot of things went our way tonight and hopefully the tide is turning."

Diekman (1-4) was pegged with the loss.

After Ryan Zimmerman slugged a solo homer in the seventh to tie the game, Zimmermann worked out of a jam in the home half to preserve the tie.

With runners on second and third and one out, Zimmermann got Kevin Frandsen to tap a grounder to third base. Zimmerman fired the ball home to catch Cody Asche at the plate. Cesar Hernandez then grounded out to second to end the frame.

The Nationals loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning against Roy Halladay, but were only able to push one run across. Adam LaRoche lifted a sacrifice fly to deep left field to score Denard Span. Ian Desmond followed with a walk to load the bases once again, but Ramos grounded into an inning- ending double play.

"Those first couple of innings I was a little inconsistent with my mechanics," said Halladay, who gave up one run on three hits and five walks over six innings.

Philadelphia broke through for a pair of runs in the second inning. Asche led off with a single, then moved to second on a John Mayberry single. Halladay's sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position and Hernandez followed with a double to left to score both Asche and Mayberry.

Game Notes

Washington was 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base ... Zimmermann is 3-2 over his last five starts. He has gone at least seven innings in four of his last five starts ... Halladay hit two batters for the 10th time in his career.






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