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Gonzalez takes shot at dysfunctional Phils

Jun 27, 2015 - 1:49 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Gio Gonzalez was able to fetch a win during this current streak for the Washington Nationals and looks to grab another one Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Gonzalez is 5-4 with a 4.41 earned run average in 14 starts and ended a personal four-start winless streak (0-2) in Sunday's 9-2 win over Pittsburgh, tossing seven scoreless innings of four-hit ball. It was win No. 3 on this seven-game run for the NL East leaders.

Gonzalez has split two meetings with the Phillies this season and is 7-5 with a 3.02 ERA in 14 career starts in this series.

Red-hot right-hander Max Scherzer was eyeing his second straight no-hitter Friday and was perfect through 5 1/3 innings until a Freddy Galvis double ended the bid. Still, Scherzer posted his 100th career victory and ninth of the season (9-5) by delivering eight innings of two-run ball with seven K's and no walks in a 5-2 decision.

"I made some mistakes early, but they were hit right at somebody. Then, I hung a curveball and Galvis was able to hit it," Scherzer said. "It's just one of those things."

Scherzer gave up an RBI double to Domonic Brown in the seventh inning, ending his 24-inning personal shutout streak and snapping a 47-inning scoreless run by Washington starters, a franchise record. Ben Revere later took Scherzer over the right-field wall in the eighth for just his third career homer.

"I was just trying to put the ball in play," Revere said. "I thought it was a pop fly at first, so I'm just going to run the ball out. Then I heard the crowd start cheering. I thought it was off the fence and I was like, 'I don't see it.' Then I saw the umpire waving his hand around."

Matt den Dekker hit a two-run homer for the Nationals.

The Phillies made news even before Friday's game started, as manager Ryne Sandberg stepped down from his post. Sandberg resigned as Phillies manager after spending parts of three seasons leading the team, saying he takes responsibility for what he called an "accumulation of losses" that "really took a toll" on him.

Sandberg was 119-159 in his first managerial stint in the majors after taking over for Charlie Manuel in August 2013. He stepped away amid reports the Phillies, now 26-49 this season, are planning to make sweeping changes to their front office.

"With some leadership roles coming up, I think it was important for me not to be in the way with the way things have gone this year, but allow the organization to go forward and really get this thing going," Sandberg said.

Third base coach Pete Mackanin took over as acting manager after Sandberg's announcement.

Philadelphia, which owns the worst record in baseball at 26-49, lost for the 13th time in 17 tries and starting pitcher Aaron Harang continued his struggles in falling to 4-10 on the season. Harang lost for the seventh straight outing and allowed five runs -- four earned -- in six innings.

Adam Morgan was impressive in his major league debut for the Phillies and will try to inject some life into the club Saturday. Morgan was backed by nine runs in a 9-2 win over St. Louis on Sunday and allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings.

Morgan, a left-hander, is winless (0-6) with a 4.74 ERA in 13 starts with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Washington is 7-4 against Philadelphia this season.