John Lannan, Laynce Nix And Drew Storen Star In 2-1 Washington Nationals' Win Over Philadelphia's Phillies.

• Today's Top 5: 

5. (0-10) in 13 starts...(0-10): John Lannan, who's winless, (0-10) in 13 career starts against Philadelphia, erases a leadoff single by Placido Polanco in the first with a grounder to second and a 4-6-3 DP on the Phillies' outfielder John Mayberry. A fly ball to right field from Chase Utley follows and the Nats' left-hander's through one on nine pitches, six strikes. The Nationals give their starter an early lead in the bottom of the frame. Roger "The Shark" Bernadina starts things with a line drive single to right. Ian Desmond bunts for a hit, settles for a sac and Jayson Werth rips a 1-2 change through short for an RBI single to left. 1-0 Nats when Bo Porter waves Bernadina around and The Shark beats Raul Ibanez's throw home. Lannan's back on the mound in the second and he surrenders a leadoff double on a 1-2 fastball upstairs to Ryan Howard. A walk to Ben Francisco puts two on for Raul "The Nationals Killer' Ibanez , who takes a full-count slider for a called strike three. And Lannan might be out of it if Alex Cora charges a grounder to third, but he doesn't and it eats him up. Error on Cora, Howard scores. 1-1 game in the second...

4. Shift Beats Mayberry: Wilson Ramos doubles with one down in the Nats' second, and a walk to Alex Cora follows. John Lannan's up, but he K's trying to bunt with two strikes after twice failing to get one down. Two outs. Roger Bernadina fights with two strikes, but K's swinging at a 2-2 change that keeps dropping away outside...The Phillies threaten again in the top of the third. John Mayberry's hit by a pitch by Lannan, (He's not trying to, I swear @TheGoodPhight) and Mayberry steals second one out later with Ryan Howard at bat. The Nats are in the shift with Howard up, and the Phillies' first baseman Howard grounds to Danny Espinosa in short right. Mayberry's going to try to score from second. Strong throw home. Wilson Ramos has the plate blocked and he tags Mayberry. "You're OUT!" Bad baserunning by the Phillies, and strong D by the Nats to keep it tied. 1-1 after two-and-a-half...

3. ANGST!!!: Laynce Nix is up with two down in the Nats' third. Philly right-hander Roy Oswalt comes back with an 0-1 change after a fastball was called for a strike and Oswalt immediately regrets it. No doubter by Nix. The fourth HR off Oswalt this year. Nix's 9th. The two-out solo shot puts the Nats up by one. Michale Morse walks on four pitches, and Danny Espinosa get hit in the knee, but Wilson Ramos can't drive them in, 2-1 Nats after three. Lannan responds with a quick 1-2-3 fourth, getting three-straight groundouts from Francisco, Ibanez and Raul keep it at 2-1 D.C. An error by Jerry Hairston on grounder by Wilson Valdez on the first play he sees after he replaces Alex Cora at third, and a one-out walk to Placido Polanco, and the Phillies have runners on first and second with one down in the fifth. Hairston makes up for the error, fielding a sharp grounder from John Mayberry and beating Valdez to third for the force, no chance for a double play, Hairston holds it, and Lannan gets a fly to right from Utley in the next AB to end the top of the frame. Still 2-1 D.C. in the 5th. 

2. Laynce, With A 'Y'": A one-out walk to Ben Francisco is Lannan's third free pass of the afternoon. The one-out single by Raul Ibanez that follows ends Lannan's day after 5.1 IP, 4 hits, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB's, 1 K, 85 pitches, 50 strikes, 11 groundouts, 3 flyouts. [Todd Coffey sprints to mound]. Jayson Werth calls off Roger Bernadina and catches the second out off Carlos Ruiz's bat. A two-out walk to pinch hitter Jimmy Rollins loads the bases. It's going to be a Lefty vs Lefty Showdown: Doug Slaten (and 12 of 24 inherited runs scored) vs Philly RFer Domonic Brown. 2-1 game, Nats lead. Brown lines to left-center, this could score tw---LAYNCE NIX!! Nix dives, fully-extended, and makes the catch before sliding over the outfield grass with the ball held up just inches above the ground!!!

1. STOREN WARNING!!: Todd Coffey retired the one batter he needed to. Doug Slaten (w/ help from NIx) was able to hold the lead through six. Tyler Clippard throws 8 pitches, 12 strikes in a quick 1-2-3 seventh, retiring Polanco, Mayberry and Utley in order. Still 2-1 Nationals. Ryan Howard flies to center. Ben Francisco grounds out to short. Two down. Raul Ibanez works the count full, but pops out foul of first to end Clippard's second scoreless frame. Nats' closer Drew Storen's on for the ninth after the Nationals fail to add to the lead in the bottom of the eighth. The 23-year-old '09 1st Round pick gets a fly ball to center from Carlos Ruiz. ONE! Jimmy Rollins surprises everyone with a bunts single that gets by the right field side mound. Ross Gload flies out to left, Bernadina makes the catch. TWO!! First pitch fastball at 95, strike one to Placido Polanco. Tight slider, 83 for a strike. Polanco's frozen. Slider outside, Polanco won't chase, 1-2. Polanco fouls off a slider, and goes the other way and just foul with a second slider outside. Storen's third 1-2 pitch is a fastball, outside edge, 96 with sink! Called strike three!!! Stare at it, Polanco!! The Nationals win, the Nationals win!! John Lannan beats the Phillies. John Lannan's (1-10) against the Phillies.!!

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

• Doghouse's Post Game WPA Graph: "Game 55: Bambi finally beats Godzilla":

via www.fangraphs.com

• Peripherals-defying: John Lannan (+10.5%) somehow makes it through 5.1 IP with 3 BBs and 4 hits while only striking out one and holding the Fillies to a single unearned run.
• Hot in the heat: Tyler Clippard (+21.1%) holds the one-run lead through 2 scoreless innings of relief.
• Angry h3r0: Laynce Nix (+7.7%) hits a 3rd-inning solo shot to give the Nats the lead (+12.8%) and makes a spectacular, bases-loaded, diving catch to save the lead in the 6th (+12.1%, albeit credited to the pitcher Slaten).
• Stare at it! Drew Storen (+15.6%) seals the series win with a backwards-K for the save.

Nationals now 24-31.