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Guzman stays hot as Nats take series from Phillies

Sep 4, 2008 - 6:14 AM By Rich Dubroff PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Trailing in the National League East by three games, the Philadelphia Phillies have a crucial three-game series with the first place New York Mets this weekend. Thanks to Cristian Guzman, the Phillies' task is much harder now.

Guzman continued his hot hitting with three more hits - including a three-run double in a four-run eighth inning - to give the Washington Nationals a 9-7 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday.

The Phillies lost two of three to the Nationals while the Mets swept Milwaukee.

"We've got to win Friday," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said. "We go to New York. We've got three games. We've got to come away with some of them."

The Phillies and Nationals were tied 5-5 in the bottom of the eighth. Kory Casto led off with a single off Chad Durbin (5-4). Pete Orr ran for Casto and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Wil Nieves popped out, Roger Bernadina singled to left, and Casto moved to third. Ronnie Belliard singled to left to score Orr with the go-ahead run.

Emilio Bonifacio walked, and Guzman doubled to left-center off J.C.Romero to score three.

"I was behind him 2-0. I had to throw a strike," Romero said.

Romero and Guzman played together with Minnesota for six seasons.

"He's been in a hot streak before. I played with him for a long time. It doesn't surprise me what he is doing," Romero said.

Guzman, who on Tuesday was named the National League's player of the week, set a franchise record with his eighth consecutive multi-hit game. Guzman is batting .538 (21-for-39) in his last eight games.

"I was trying to put the ball in play and the ball found the gap," Guzman said. "I tried to hit it to score one run, but the ball found the gap. Thank you."

Manuel managed against Guzman in the American League and also isn't surprised by him.

"He's got some sock. He's got more sock you think he has," Manuel said.

Saul Rivera (5-5), Washington's sixth pitcher, got the win. He pitched a scoreless eighth.

Joel Hanrahan allowed two runs in the ninth on an RBI double by Matt Stairs and a sacrifice fly by Chase Utley. The Nationals have won eight of nine.

"It was tough, pretty tough," Manuel said. "Couldn't hold them. Couldn't hold them."

Now, Philadelphia's attention turns to New York, who collapsed last September, handing the NL East title to the Phillies.

"We don't really worry about the Mets," Romero said. "If we don't win, we're done."

Ryan Howard hit a pair of two-run home runs. His 38th in the first inning off Odalis Perez gave Philadelphia a 2-0 lead and his 39th in the sixth inning to put the Phillies up 5-4.

Ryan Zimmerman cracked his 11th home run of the year with two outs in the seventh off Durbin to tie the score at 5-5.

Guzman singled in the first leading to Washington's first run. He scored on Zimmerman's double. Casto later singled with two outs to score Zimmerman.

In the third, Jimmy Rollins singled with one out. He moved to second on a wild pitch by Perez and scored on Utley's triple to center.

The Nationals scored two runs in the fifth to take a 4-3 lead. Bonifacio led off with a walk. Guzman singled and Lastings Milledge grounded to first, scoring Bonifacio, and Guzman scored on Elijah Dukes' infield out.

Starter Joe Blanton, who has pitched to no decisions in eight of his nice starts since the Phillies acquired him on July 17, was yanked after he loaded the bases in the fifth. He's not scheduled to start against the Mets.

"It's a big series coming up. We'll know more after that," Blanton said. "A lot will be said after this series."