PHILLIES NEWS

The Phils returned to the Bank tonight to begin a series with the lowly Washington Nationals. Joe Blanton got the start, and well he just hasn't found himself yet this season, and even against the Nationals he just didn't have it. In all he was touched up for 6 runs on 8 hits in just 4 and 1/3rd innings of work. Normally that might have been a recipe for disaster, but fortunately they were playing the Nationals and so instead this one turned into a slugfest for the ages. It began in the top of the 2nd as Alberto Gonzalez sac flyed in one run and the pitcher Shairon Martis singled in a 2nd run for a 2-0 Nat's lead. In the bottom of the 2nd, Greg Dobbs singled in one run and Raul Ibanez doubled and scored on a fielder's choice to knot it up at 2. In the top of the 3rd Ryan Zimmerman crushed a 2 run homer and Elijah Dukes smashed a solo shot for a 5-2 lead. Zimmerman struck again with a solo shot in the top of the 5th for a 6-2 Nat's lead. Ryan Howard answered the bell in the bottom of the inning as he crushed a grand slam to knot it up again at 6. In the top of the 6th Dukes worked a bases loaded walk for a 7-6 Nat's lead. In the bottom of the 6th Jimmy Rollins blooped a double to left field for another run to tie it up again at 7. In the top of the 8th Nick Johnson and Adam Dunn each slammed 2 run homers for an 11-7 lead. It should have been game over for the Phils at that point, except it's never really over when you're playing Nationals. So in the bottom of the 8th, "the Flyin Hawaiian" Shane Victorino sac flyed in one run, Chase Utley singled in a 2nd run, and stunningly Ibanez clobbered the Phils 2nd grand slam of the night for a 13-11 lead. Finally in the top of the 9th Ryan Madson took care of business and closed out the Phils 4th win in a row. So the Phils move to 10-8 overall and now just a half of a game out of 1st in the NL East.