WASHINGTON (AP) — Kyle Schwarber hit his 43rd homer, a tiebreaking, three-run shot in the seventh inning, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 6-2 on Friday night to snap a three-game skid.
Bryce Harper followed Schwarber with a drive over the center-field fence, the sixth time this season the Phillies have homered back-to-back. Both ex-Nats were cheered by a pro-Philly crowd of 35,143, and Schwarber got “M-V-P!” chants when he batted in the ninth.
Phillies closer Jhoan Duran,
pitching in a non-save situation in the ninth, took a sharp grounder off his right foot from Paul DeJong and came up limping. After a lengthy visit by trainers, he rode off the field in the Nationals' bullpen cart.
After a solid start by Nationals ace MacKenzie Gore, the National League East-leading Phillies feasted on last-place Washington's inexperienced bullpen. Clayton Beeter (0-2) walked two batters in the seventh and gave way to Konnor Pilkington, who hung a 1-0 slider that Schwarber sent 456 feet into the right-field stands.
Phillies ace Zack Wheeler was limited to five innings for the second consecutive start. He allowed two runs on four hits, including the third career homer by Nationals rookie Daylen Lile. Tanner Banks (4-2) pitched a scoreless sixth.
Gore settled down after a rocky first inning that included an RBI double by Harper. He pumped his fist and yelled after he fanned Harrison Bader to end the sixth with the game tied at 2-all.
Riley Adams led off the Nationals' fifth with a walk and the 263-pound catcher caught Wheeler by surprise by stealing his first base of the season. But Wheeler retired the next three batters to keep it tied.
After pitching to a 13.12 ERA in four starts following his first All-Star appearance, Gore has a 1.50 ERA in his two most recent outings.
Veteran Phillies RHP Taijuan Walker (4-5, 3.39 ERA) opposes the Nationals' Cade Cavalli (0-0, 3.86), who will make his third start of the season, on Saturday.
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