Phillies overcome 3 hour rain delay to complete series sweep of Nationals
Not even the longest rain delay in CBP history could stop the Phillies from completing the series sweep of the Nationals with a 7-5 win on Sunday afternoon.
Phillies (78-62)Â Beat Nationals (49-92)
- Winning Pitcher:Â Jose Alvarado (4-2, 3.74)
- Losing Pitcher: Kyle Finnegan (5-4, 3.97)
- Save: David Robertson (19, 2.38)
In the long drawn out slog that is a 162-game season, sometimes its wild how big of a difference a week can make for a baseball team. For the Phillies it has been a complete 180 and possibly a season saving week for a squad with real playoff hopes.
Nothing sparks a winning streak like playing the lowly Washington Nationals. With the loss the Nats dropped to a league-worst 11-46 against National League foes this season. The Phillies have been straight up abusing the sad sack Nationals of late and with the victory today are now 21-2 in their last 24 matchups dating back to last season.
The rain delay came with the Phillies up 1-0 and Aaron Nola on the mound. When the teams returned to the field well after the Eagles had beaten the Lions, Nola was understandably replaced by Cristopher Sanchez who then surrendered 4 runs in 3 terrible innings, in which he gave up 7 hits.
After Nick Nelson also allowed a run in the 5th inning, Jose Alvarado, Seranthony Dominguez, and David Robertson combined to hold the Nationals scoreless in the final 3 frames. Alec Bohm finally put the Phillies on top in the 7th inning with a huge 2-run shot off Nationals reliever Kyle Finnegan that brought the extremely sparse crowd remaining at Citizens Bank Park to their feet.
Seranthony Dominguez looked solid in his first relief appearance since being placed on the injured list on August 21 after experiencing discomfort in his throwing arm. The Phillies bullpen has been solid nearly all season long, but with the recent injury to Corey Knebel the Phillies desperately need Dominguez to be a lock down arm in the latter innings of the game.
While Dominguez was out, Brad Hand was somewhere between average and effective while pretending to be a late inning stopper. Hand is a great lefty specialist, but lacks the power pitching style that the Phillies will need in the 8th or 9th inning in a playoff series. Im actually pretty optimistic about the Dominguez/Robertson combo.
RING IT & GO BIRDS
Luke Voit hits a Cristopher Sanchez pitch off the out of town scoreboard in right field to tie the game in the 3rd inning after a long rain delay.
1-0 Nats
Joey Menenese
4-1 Nats
Rhys Hoskins takes Ramirez deep for a 3-run home to tie the game in the 5th inning.
4-4 Phils
Alec Bohm gives the Phillies their first lead of the game with a two run bomb off Nationals reliever Kyle Finnegan in the 7th inning.
6-5 Phils
Up Next for the Phillies
The Phillies have a scheduled off day on Monday before traveling to Miami to take on the Marlins for a 3-game set at Loan Depot Park.
TBD (0-0, 0.00) will toe the rubber facing off against TBD (0-0, 0.00) with the first pitch scheduled for 6:40 pm.
NBC Sports Philadelphia will carry the broadcast of the game.
Mandatory Photo Credit: Philadelphia Phillies
