Phillies Rally To Late 4-3 Win Over Nationals
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ty Kelly hit a tiebreaking RBI single in Philadelphia's three-run ninth, helping the Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 4-3 in the opener of a day-night doubleheader on Sunday.
Aaron Altherr opened the ninth with his eighth homer. Maikel Franco and Cameron Rupp hit consecutive doubles off Shawn Kelley, and Freddy Galvis walked before Kelly delivered against Koda Glover.
Kelley (3-1) blew his second save in five opportunities.
Joaquin Benoit (1-2) pitched a scoreless eighth for Philadelphia, and Hector Neris finished for his fourth save.
Bryce Harper hit his 12th homer for NL East-leading Washington, and Trea Turner added a two-run shot. Gio Gonzalez allowed one run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings.
The Nationals got off to a nice start. Harper drove Jeremy Hellickson's ninth pitch into the first row in right. Turner's fourth homer made it 3-0 in the fifth.
Hellickson allowed six hits while throwing 75 pitches in five innings.
Tommy Joseph hit an opposite-field homer off Gonzalez in the seventh, setting up Philadelphia's late rally.
TRAINERS ROOM
Nationals: LF Jayson Werth was out of the lineup after leaving Saturday night's game because of groin tightness.
HOMER HAPPY
Harper has homered five times in eight games against the Phillies, even after missing an entire series with a groin injury.
SO IT'S BEEN A WHILE
Hellickson's fourth start against Washington in the season's 34th game is the earliest a Phillies starter has seen a team that many times since Jumbo Elliott faced the Brooklyn Dodgers for a fourth time in the 32nd game of the 1931 season.
UP NEXT
Phillies: Game 2 right-handed starter Vince Velazquez has a 6.88 ERA in six career starts vs. Washington, including an 8.18 ERA in two starts this season.
Nationals: Righty ace Max Scherzer aims for his 53rd career double-digit strikeout game -- and third straight -- to pass the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw for the most among active players.
