Freddie Galvis’ game ending single capped a two run rally by the Phillies in the bottom of the tenth inning today as the home team ended the Washington Nationals’ seven game winning streak with a 3-2 win (USA TODAY images).
Nationals Record- 9-2
WP- Gomez (1-0) LP- Papelbon (0-1, BS 1)
HR- Harper Was (6), Ruiz Phl (1)
STARS OF THE GAME
Third Star- Phillies’ outfielder Peter Bourjos came into Sunday’s game as a .239 hitter in his career, and he quickly fell behind Nationals’ closer Jonathan Papelbon 0-2 with one out and the Phils down by one in the tenth inning. But the light-hitting Bourjos came through, driving a double to left field to set the stage for the winning rally.
Second Star- Andres Blanco had a career year for the Phillies in 2015, hitting .292 with seven homers, 25 RBI and a .360 on base percentage in 261 plate appearances. His 2015 form was on display today, as his two out pinch hit single scored Bourjos with the tying run in the bottom of the tenth.
Star of the game- Freddy Galvis stands only 5’10”, but on Sunday he stood as tall as booming 10th inning single scored Blanco from second with the game winning run as the Phillies avoided a three game sweep at the hands of their red-hot rivals from the Nations Capital. Galvis, hitting lead-off in the Philadelphia lineup, was 0 for 4 prior to his game-winning heroics.
Valiant in defeat- We’re running out of superlatives when it comes to describing Nats’ outfielder Bryce Harper. Harper had two hits and a walk on the day, and his laser shot home run on a 3-2 pitch off of Jeanmar Gomez seemed to put Washington over the hump in its pursuit of an eighth straight win. Harper has now homered in six consecutive games at Citizens Bank Park.
NOTES
Both starting pitchers did excellent work on the day. Washington’s Gio Gonzalez allowed only one run (on a Carlos Ruiz homer) and fanned eight in his seven innings of work. The Phils’ Charlie Morton moved the ball well on Sunday, keeping Washington off balance in his six innings of four hit, one run allowed pitching.
Situational hitting was a problem once again for the Nats, who left eight men on base on the day. Particularly tough to take for the visitors was the top of the ninth when Werth doubled but was left stranded.
Anthony Rendon, Harper and Daniel Murphy combined to go six for 13 in the two, three and four spots in the lineup. Rendon’s single in the sixth scored Washington’s first run. The RBI was the first on the year for the Nats’ third baseman.
UP NEXT
On Monday, Tanner Roark will take the mound for Washington in Miami against Marlins’ ace Jose Fernandez. Roark is 2-5 with a 3.61 ERA on his career against Miami, and Nats’ killer Martin Prado has six hits in 12 at bats against the Illinois native. The ultra-talented Fernandez has had his way against the Nationals in his career going 3-0 with a 0.98 ERA, but has allowed six runs in his ten innings of work so far in 2016.
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