National League Game Summary - Philadelphia at Washington
(Friday, May 4th)
Final Score: Washington 4, Philadelphia 3 (11 innings)
Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Wilson Ramos knocked in the game-winning run
in the bottom of the 11th inning and the Washington Nationals snuck past the
Philadelphia Phillies, 4-3, in the opener of a three-game set at Nationals
Park.
With Michael Schwimer (0-1) on the mound, Steve Lombardozzi started the rally
with a two-out single before Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth drew walks to load
the bases. After falling behind 0-2 and fouling off a couple of tough pitches,
Ramos got a slider up and stroked it into center field to score Lombardozzi.
Ryan Perry (1-0) tossed a perfect top of the 11th to earn the win. The
Nationals have won three consecutive games.
"It was an outstanding effort from all the guys," Ramos said. "We kept
fighting and in that moment I just wanted to go out and hit the ball hard."
Chad Tracy cracked a solo home run and Jesus Flores added a pair of RBI with a
double and a sacrifice fly. Harper went 0-for-3 at the plate but drew three
walks.
Hunter Pence smacked a two-run homer and Carlos Ruiz added a solo shot for the
Phillies, who took two of three from the Atlanta Braves before this series.
Trailing 3-2, Washington tied the game in the eighth. Tracy opened the inning
with a single off Phillies reliever Chad Qualls and moved to second on a
sacrifice bunt by Danny Espinosa. Rick Ankiel was intentionally walked and
Flores smoked a sinking liner to left that got past John Mayberry Jr. to score
Tracy.
Philadelphia threatened to take the lead in the top of the ninth when Shane
Victorino walked and stole second to put a runner in scoring position with no
outs. Henry Rodriguez battled back to strike out Ty Wigginton, Ruiz and Freddy
Galvis to keep the game tied.
After escaping a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the third, the Phillies
opened the scoring in the fourth when Juan Pierre ripped a single up the
middle to start the frame and Pence followed by blasting a hanging slider from
Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg over the center field wall.
The Nats answered right back in the bottom of the fourth when Tracy reached
for a low breaking ball and served it out over the right field wall to cut the
deficit to 2-1.
But the Phils extended their lead to 3-1 in the fifth when Ruiz took a
fastball from Strasburg deep over the center field wall.
Joe Savery relieved Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick in the sixth and got off to
a good start by getting Tracy to fly out. He then walked Espinosa and Ankiel
ripped a double off the center field wall to put runners on second and third.
Savery was pulled for Jose Contreras, and Flores lofted a sacrifice fly to
center to bring home Espinosa to make it 3-2. Washington continued to threaten
when Contreras plunked pinch-hitter Roger Bernadina on the right leg to put
two runners on with two down.
Ian Desmond followed and slapped one deep in the hole at shortstop. Jimmy
Rollins made a diving play to get to the ball then threw to Placido Polanco,
who tagged out Ankiel rounding third for the final out of the inning.
"Sure, we lost, but we have to stay focused and not get deterred by losing one
game," Victorino said. "If we take the next two we'll put ourselves in a good
position."
Game Notes
Philadelphia fell to 8-9 on the road this season...Friday marked the first
meeting between these NL East rivals. Washington won last year's season
series, 10-8...Kendrick gave up just one run on seven hits and two walks while
fanning two in five innings...Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel was ejected
by home plate umpire Rob Drake in the first inning. It was his first ejection
of the season...It was Tracy's first home run since Sept. 6, 2010...Strasburg
was charged with three runs on three hits and one walk while punching out four
over six innings...Second base umpire Joe West missed the game due to
illness...Philadelphia fell to 0-3 in extra-inning games this season...The
Phillies went 1-for-8 with men in scoring position and stranded five.
05/05 01:53:07 ET

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