Nationals 3 - 6 Phillies
Final
  for this game

Ruiz, Phils power past Nationals

Sep 26, 2012 - 3:42 AM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Carlos Ruiz clubbed a three-run home run to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-3 win over the Washington Nationals in the opener of a three-game series.

Darin Ruf and Domonic Brown also went deep for the Phils, who ended a two- game skid and won for the fifth time in seven games.

Cole Hamels (16-6) did enough to snag the victory, setting a new career high after allowing seven hits and three runs with six strikeouts over five innings.

"He's had a big year for us. I don't know where we'd be without him," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said of Hamels.

Jonathan Papelbon turned in a scoreless final frame for his 37th save.

Kurt Suzuki, Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman drove in a run each for the Nationals, who have lost four of seven and saw their magic number to clinch the NL East remain at five. Atlanta staged a late rally to beat Miami earlier Tuesday to remain four games back with eight remaining.

Ross Detwiler (10-7) also worked five full frames, but served up five runs and as many hits with three walks.

The hosts put up four runs in the home third to take control of the contest. John Mayberry and Chase Utley began the frame by working consecutive walks, then Ryan Howard's single plated Mayberry ahead of a three-run blast by Ruiz for a 5-1 game.

"(It was) a 2-0 fastball and (Ruiz) was looking for it," Detwiler said of the home-run ball.

Washington answered with a pair in the fifth on RBI singles from Harper and Zimmerman, but Brown's leadoff homer in the sixth pushed the Phils' lead to 6-3.

Four relievers spelled Hamels and posted three innings of hitless relief, leading to Papelbon, who gave up a two-out single to Suzuki before ending the game by inducing a groundout from pinch-hitter Chad Tracy.

The Nats got on the board in the second as Danny Espinosa walked with two outs, stole second and scored on a Suzuki base hit.

Ruf tied the game with his first career hit -- a solo shot to left center -- with two down in the home half.

Game Notes

Hamels won 15 games in 2007, going 15-5 and helping Philly win a division title for the first time since 1993 ... Ruf became the 24th different Phillie to hit a home run this season, breaking the original franchise record of 23 set in 1996 ... Mayberry was the last Phillies player to homer for his initial major-league hit, at the new Yankee Stadium on May 23, 2009 ... Philadelphia has won eight of 13 meetings over Washington this season, including five of seven at home ... Detwiler lost for the first time since Aug. 22 ... Suzuki finished with three hits.






Related News