Washington Nationals' Jayson Werth 0 For 3 With A Walk In Return To Citizens Bank, Philadelphia Phillies Win 4-1.

• Tonight's Top 5: 

5. Welcome Back Werth: Jayson Werth has a .295/.385/.532 career slash at Citizens Bank Park, with 47 doubles, four triples, 52 HR's and 35 stolen bases (one caught stealing). Werth's walked 127 times and struck out 222 times while driving in 165 RBI's in 236 games and 1040 plate appearances in Philadelphia's home park. Werth, of course, spent four seasons in the Phillies' outfield. After four years and four post season appearanaces, one of which resulted in a World Series Championship, Werth signed for 7-years and $126 million dollars with the NL East's perennial doormats. Now he's back in Philly. What starts as booing from the Phillies faithful as he steps to the plate for the first time back in CBP blends with clapping with boos losing out to applause when Werth tips his cap to the crowd earning a standing ovation in appreciation for his .282/.380/.506 slash line during his time with the Phillies. Werth steals second after walking on a 3-1 pitch from Cole Hamels in his first AB. Werth's 36th in 37 attempts in Phillly. Werth's stranded at second when Adam LaRoche K's swinging. As he takes the field it's more of the same. The crowd boos, Werth tips his cap, and according to some points out the curly-W that's replaced the stylized P.

4. Mr. National: Livan Hernandez needs just 18 pitches to get through two scoreless, retiring the first six batters he faces. The Phillies first eight batters go down in order before Cole Hamels hits a two-out triple off the out-of-town scoreboard in right just out of Werth's reach. Jimmy Rollins follows with an RBI line drive to right on a slider from Hernandez and the Phillies take a 1-0 lead. 18 pitches in that inning. Raul Ibanez's ground-rule double in the fourth ends an 0 for 35 streak by the Phillies' outfielder. Nats' Skipper Jim Riggleman, Livan and Pudge Rodriguez intentionally walk Pete Orr and then Livan and Pudge turn a 1-2-3 DP on a grounder to the mound from former Expos' and Nats' backstop Brian Schneider. 

3. Insurmountable Lead: Cole Hamels is pitching what should be right-hander Roy Oswalt's turn in the rotation. Oswalt's back home in tornado-damaged Mississippi, but Hamels is on five days' rest according to the Philly tv announcers (and the calendar). The 27-year-old '02 1st Round pick holds the Nationals to just two hits through five, walking one and striking out four. Hamels K's in his second at bat of the day after tripling, but Rollins gets three bags in the next AB, flying to right and off the wall. The ball hits the corner and jumps off the cement on Werth. Danny Espinosa bobbles the relay throw and Rollins slides in safe at third. A walk to Victorino sets up another DP, but Polanco foils the plan by flying to right and Jayson Werth's throw home is off-line. 2-0 Phillies when Rollins tags and scores from third. Livan walks Ryan Howard intentionally. Then walks Ben Francisco...by mistake? A fly to right from Ibanez starts another hitless streak. 

2. Once Nats: Back to back singles for Orr and Schneider in the Phillies' sixth, (which hurts for Nats fans). But the Nats' have the Wheel on when Hamels bunts and Bixler throws Orr out at third, so that Jimmy Rollins' DP grounder to second ends a scoreless sixth for Hernandez. 4-6-3 DP. 2-0 Philly after six. Make that 2-1. Michael Morse goes all the way the other way and out to right, jacking a first pitch fastball from Hamels. Second HR of year for the Nats' left fielder and it's a one-run game. 

1. [Coffey Sprints To Mound]: Shane Victorino singles to right to start the Phillies' seventh, and he's off when Placido Polanco bunts back to the mound, so Livan can only get the out at first. Hernandez stays in to face Ryan Howard, and gives up an RBI single when he should be pitching around the big left-hander (or out of the game). 3-1 Phillies when Shane-O scores as Werth retrieves it. Livan's done after 6.1 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 3 K's, 97 pitches, 57 strikes, 7 groundouts, 4 flyouts. Todd Coffey is the second National tonight cheered by the Philly crowd as he sprints to the mound. Coffey gets a line drive to short from Ben Francisco. Doug Slaten comes on to face Raul Ibanez. Philly announcers: "0.00 ERA, Slaten hasn't allowed a run." Not one of his own. Ibanez doubles to left, 4-1 Phillies when Howard scores. Ibanez goes 2 for 3 after the 0 for 35 streak. 

0. 99 Pitches: Cole Hamels gives up an infield single to Brian Bixler. A grounder up the middle off Wilson Ramos' bat bounces off Hamels' glove to Jimmy Rollins, who steps on the bag and throws to first for a 1-6-3 DP. Danny Espinosa's groundout ends the Nationals' eighth with Hamels one pitch away from the century mark. Henry Rodriguez gives up a single and two walks to load the bases with one down before the Phillies' third DP grounder of the night ends the eighth. Cole Hamels comes back out to finish a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out Jayson Werth in the process of throwing his eighth complete game and the third complete game by a Phillies' pitcher in four games against the Nationals this season. Hamels, Halladay and Lee. 

• Miss The Game? The DC Faithful Were Watching...

• Doghouse's Post Game WPA Graph: "Game 29: Slipping off the tightrope":

via www.fangraphs.com

• "Disaster" start: Livan Hernandez (-7.7%) gives up 3 ER in 6.1 IP, dancing in and out of jams with things like an inning-ending, bases-loaded 1-2-3 GDP in the 4th (+13.3%).
• Take on him: Mike Micheal Morse (+13.9%) scores the Nationals' only run on a solo shot, oppo-boppo style (+11.4%).
• 0-fer: Ian Desmond (-15.0%) is hitless, with a rally-killing GDP to follow a 6th-inning leadoff hit (-10.4%).

Nationals now 14-15.