Nats pound Phillies, Magic Number at 3
The Washington Nationals pounded the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park for the second consecutive night, 7-4. With the win, the Nats magic number falls to 3 games to win the NL East. The Braves defeated the Marlins 6-2.
Gio Gonzalez (21-8) picked up his 21st win, throwing 6 innings and allowing 3 runs on 6 hits with 6 strikeouts. Sean Burnett and Tyler Clippard combined for two innings of shutout relief. Nats fans should be a bit relieved watching a 1-2-3 inning from Clippard. Drew Storen pitched a scoreless ninth to finish off the Phillies.
Rookie Bryce Harper opened up the first inning with a solo home run to center field, his 21st home run, to give the Nationals a quick 1-0 lead. He went 2 for 4 and drove in 2 runs. Harper now had driven in 58 runs on the season. Mike Morse added a solo home run in the 2nd nning and drove in Ryan Zimmerman on a force out in the fourth inning. Morse hit his second home run of the night, his 16th of the season, in the 6th inning. Morse powered the Nats offense going 2-4 and driving in 4 runs.
With the Nats win, they took 2 out of 3 in Philadlephia. They improved overall to 95-61 on the season. With their 95th win, these Nats became the first DC baseball franchise to win 95 games since 1933.
