Nationals halt losing streak with 4-1 victory over Phillies
Washington ends three-game skid as Philadelphia’s offensive stars struggle against a resilient Nationals pitching staff.
The Washington Nationals ended a three-game losing streak by defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 on Monday night, taking the opener of a four-game divisional series. The victory was anchored by a dominant pitching performance from Foster Griffin, who allowed just one run over 7 1/3 innings, while Curtis Mead and Luis Garcia Jr. provided the offensive spark with home runs.
Griffin (8-2) struck out nine batters and issued no walks, extending a recent trend of consistency. This marks the fifth consecutive start in which Griffin has pitched five or more innings while allowing one or fewer earned runs. He was supported by Clayton Beeter, who secured his sixth save of the season by pitching a scoreless ninth inning.
The Nationals’ offence was balanced, with Dylan Crews, James Wood, and Keibert Ruiz each recording a double and a single. Wood opened the scoring by doubling off Phillies opener Tim Mayza and scoring on a Crews single. Garcia Jr. extended the lead to 2-0 with a home run off Alan Rangel in the second inning.
Philadelphia’s high-powered lineup, featuring Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, struggled to find rhythm. The duo, who had combined for 12 hits and six home runs over the previous two games, managed just two hits in eight at-bats. Brandon Marsh hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to pull the Phillies within one run, but Washington maintained control.
The game was interrupted by a rain delay of one hour and 32 minutes. Nasim Nuñez continued his hot streak, singling twice to extend his hitting streak to eight games and his on-base streak to a career-high 14. Looking ahead, Jesús Luzardo is scheduled to pitch for Philadelphia in the second game, while the Nationals will start Zack Littell.
