Slumping Phillies Swept By Nationals In Doubleheader
WASHINGTON (AP) — Max Scherzer shrugged off a broken nose and black eye to throw seven shutout innings, Brian Dozier and Victor Robles hit solo homers, and the Washington Nationals completed a day-night doubleheader sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies with a 2-0 victory Wednesday night.
The Nationals have won 16 of their last 23, while Philadelphia has dropped seven of its last nine and 12 of 18.
In the first game, Patrick Corbin struck out eight while allowing one run over seven innings as the Nationals earned a 6-2 victory in the delayed series opener after the teams were rained out Monday and Tuesday.
Scherzer bunted a ball off his face during batting practice Tuesday, but it didn't stop him from making his scheduled start. His injury may have provided an extra layer of intimidation in the form of a black eye more worthy of a boxing ring than a baseball diamond.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner sported a pronounced bruise arcing beneath his right eye, adding another hue to a glare that already featured one blue eye and one brown eye.
While he wasn't at his most efficient, piling up 117 pitches, Scherzer (6-5) was rarely threatened. He struck out 10, yielded only four hits and permitted just two runners to reach scoring position. And he finished strong, striking out three in a row after Cesar Hernandez led off the seventh with a double.
Bryce Harper, Scherzer's former Nationals teammate, was 0 for 4 with four walks in the doubleheader and was loudly booed before each plate appearance — especially in the better-attended nightcap. This series is his second trip back to Washington, where he played from 2012-18, since signing a 13-year, $330 million contract with Philadelphia in March.
Dozier belted a two-out solo shot in the second off Jake Arrieta (6-6), who allowed two hits and struck out three over six innings. Robles homered off reliever Pat Neshek in the eighth. Neshek departed two batters later with an undisclosed injury.
Wander Suero pitched a perfect eighth for Washington, and Sean Doolittle worked the ninth for his 15th save in 18 tries.
Philadelphia was 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position between the two games.
Corbin (6-5), whose start was pushed back twice this week, allowed a solo homer to Scott Kingery in the first inning of the opener. But he let just one other runner to reach third while ending a personal three-game skid.
Dozier and Gerardo Parra had RBI doubles against Phillies starter Zach Eflin (6-7). They later hit back-to-back homers in the eighth inning off Cole Irvin to seal the victory.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: C J.T. Realmuto (groin) started the opening game and went 0 for 4, the struck out as a pinch hitter in the second contest. He sat out Sunday's game, and was out of the posted lineups Monday and Tuesday before both contests were rained out. ... OF Jay Bruce (left hamstring), who had not played since Saturday, started the second game in left and was 1 for 4. ... LHP Adam Morgan (forearm strain) pitched a scoreless inning in a rehabilitation appearance Wednesday for Double-A Reading.
Nationals: C Kurt Suzuki, who left Sunday's game with a neck injury, started the second game and went 0 for 3.
PARRA'S SHARK ATTACK
Parra debuted an eyebrow-raising walkup music selection: "Baby Shark," a popular children's song. Parra was in an 0-for-22 slump entering the day, but was 2 for 4 in the opener.
"I wanted to put in something different," Parra said. "My (2-year-old) daughter knows that song. ... I said, 'You know what, I am going to put in 'Baby Shark.'"
26TH MEN
Philadelphia recalled LHP Ranger Suarez from Triple-A Lehigh Valley as its 26th man for the doubleheader. Suarez allowed four earned runs in four innings on June 10 in his only other appearance for the Phillies this season. ... Washington summoned RHP Austin Voth from Triple-A Fresno. Voth, who is 3-5 with a 4.99 ERA this season, pitched in four games for the Nationals last season.
UP NEXT
Phillies: RHP Aaron Nola (6-1, 4.89) is scheduled to start against the Nationals on Thursday. Nola is 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA in three starts this month.
Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (7-4, 3.75), who is 7-0 with a 2.97 ERA in his last 12 starts against Philadelphia, starts the series finale.
