PHILLIES NEWS

The Phils welcomed the Washington Nationals to the Bank tonight to begin a weekend series. J.A Happ got his second start of the season and looked sharp again, allowing just 3 runs on 3 hits in 5 and 1/3rd innings. Unfortunately, he didn't get much run support as the Phils left more than 13 runners on base, collecting 16 hits and 24 total bases, but only 5 runs. Fortunately, 5 was just enough to hold off the Nationals, currently the team with the worst record in the majors. In the top of the 2nd Josh Willingham slugged a solo homer for a 1-0 Nats lead. In the bottom of the inning, Carlos Ruiz doubled in a run tie it at 1. In the bottom of the 3rd, the Nats misplayed, not one, not two, but 3 balls in the outfield, resulting in a 2 run single by Raul Ibanez, and an RBI triple by Pedro Feliz for a 4-1 lead. In the bottom of the 4th, Jimmy Rollins doubled and scored on a fielder's choice for a 5-1 lead. In the top of the 6th the Nats rallied back with 3 runs on a double by Josh Bard, a single by Anderson Hernandez and a throwing error by Jayson Werth to cut the lead to 5-4. The Phils then had several chances from there to blow the game open, but just couldn't get that one hit they needed to knock in a few runs. Fortunately the phils bullpen from the 7th on shut down the Nats the rest of the way as Brad Lidge collected the save in the 9th with a rare, this season anyway, 1-2-3 inning. Basically the Phils took care of business tonight against an inferior Nationals team. Still, I would like to have seen them score a few more runs. You really can't leave so many people on base all the time. Truthfully though this is the first time I can recall them leaving that many people on base this season. Therefore I wouldn't worry too much about it just yet. They'll just have to make sure it doesn't continue. Anyway so the Phils improve to 26-20 overall but remain a half a game behind the Mets in the NL East.