Washington starter Tim Redding gets a groundball from Philadelphia's leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins to start the third of a four games weekend series. Chase Utley? Home run. 2-1 pitch inside and Utley turns it around and blasts it into the home team's bullpen for an early 1-0 Philly lead. Redding allows a single to Pat Burrell, before freezing Ryan Howard with a breaking ball that drops onto the outside corner. Aaron Rowand hits a two-out single, but Gregg Dobbs stares at the same curve that got Howard for strike three to end the first.
The Phillies rookie right-hander Kyle Kendrick has heard what other pitchers have been saying, Nook Logan can't handle the fastball inside. Logan strikes out swinging in the Nationals first. Felipe Lopez grounds out. Ryan Zimmerman down looking. 1-0 Philly after one.
Jayson Werth takes second on a one-out sac bunt from the pitcher Kyle Kendrick, and Werth takes third as the Nationals make the play at first and forget about the lead runner. Redding pops Rollins up in the infield to end the top of the second. Ronnie Belliard beats out a two-out grounder up the middle, and Robert Fick pushes an outside pitch into left for two consecutive singles off Kendrick, but Brian Schneider can't cash in the RBI opportunity, and the rookie right-hander has two scoreless with the lead.
Chase Utley singles through second to start the third. Pat Burrell flies out. Redding gets Ryan Howard swinging at a slider outside. Aaron Rowand lines a breaking ball to center for a two-out single. Gregg Dobbs chases another slider outside for the last out of the Phillies third. Kyle Kendrick retires the Nationals in order to end the third.
Ryan Church hits a two-out single through short for the first hit for either team in the fourth. Ronnie Belliard chops a high-hopper to second with Church running and both runners are safe with Robert Fick due up. First and third, two outs. Fick fights to a full count, but Kendrick gets a fly ball to left to hold the 1-0 lead through four.
Tim Redding lines to left off Kendrick with one out in the bottom of the fifth...Pat Burrell tracks the ball and waits for it to fall over his shoulder only to misjudge and have it drop short of his outstretched glove. Nook Logan grounds out to Rollins at short. Felipe Lopez lines to center and Aaron Rowand comes charching too quickly and almost takes it off the thigh as he makes an awkward diving catch to end the fifth inning of play.
Redding blows a fastball outside by Howard to get a swinging K for the first out of the sixth. Aaron Rowand hits a ground rule double over the wall in center. Redding pops up Gregg Dobbs. Jayson Werth flies to left. 1-0 Phillies in the sixth. Ryan Zimmerman makes Kendrick duck with a line drive back up the middle to start the Nationals sixth. Kendrick gets Kearns swinging over strike three. Ryan Church reaches out and lines an outside fastball into center for a single. Belliard lines to third, Abraham Nunez throws to second, Church comes in hard, and breaks up the double play as Utley sails the throw to first, allowing Zimmerman to score. 1-1 ballgame after six.
Redding gets Philly catcher Chris Coste to fly out to right, and pinch hitter Pete LaForest to fly out to left, but Jimmy Rollins singles on a blooper to center to bring Chase Utley to the plate and chase Tim Redding from the game. Manny Acta, Nationals Manager brings on lefty Arnie Munoz to face Utley. Lefty vs Lefty. Utley grounds out to second. 1-1 after six and a half.
Philly reliever J.C. Romero's on for the bottom of the seventh. Brian Schneider drives the ball to center, Rowand comes charging, dives, and misses, the ball shoots underneath the center fielder, allowing Schneider to take third. The Professional Pinch Hitter Tony Batista takes a walk. Nook Logan lines out to short. Felipe Lopez up next. Cristian Guzman comes on to run for Schneider at third. Lopez grounds to second, Utley throws home, and Coste makes the tag on Guzman, "You're OUT!" the Ump yells. Romero's out. Justin Maxwell on to run at second for Batista. Geoff Geary gets Ryan Zimmerman swinging at a ball that ends up in the dirt to end the seventh.
The Tallest Pitcher in MLB History, Jon Rauch will work the top of the eigth against Burrell, Howard and Rowand. Burrell fouls strike three into new catcher Jesus Flores' glove. Ryan Howard going for the Golden Sombrero, earns it, staring at a slider that drops over the middle of the plate. Rowand goes to a full count and lines a single up the middle for his fourth hit of the night. Rauch walks Abraham Nunez. Jayson Werth chases a slider off the plate to end the top of the eigth.
Tom Gordon will face Austin Kearns to start the bottom of the eigth. Kearns grounds out to first. Ryan Church goes down swinging. Ronnie Belliard does the same. Chad Cordero's gonna pitch the ninth. Coste flies to left on a fastball inside. Tadahito Iguchi flies to center. Jimmy Rollins flies out to Church. There is not a hint of a bend in Cordero's brim.
Brett Myers gets Robert Fick to ground out to second for the first out of the ninth. Flores swings through a fastball up and outside. D'Angelo Jimenez flies out to right. Add some frames...
...Chase Utley singles to start the tenth. Chris Schroder walks Pat Burrell on four straight to bring up Ryan Howard. Howard lines to left center. Chase Utley scores. 2-1 Phillies in the tenth. Schroder out. Jesus "Everyday" Colome on to pitch. Rowand lines to third, Zimmerman throws home to cut down the lead, pinch runner Jason Bourne for the second out. Shane Victorino grounds to first, Fick fields it...No one covers first. Bases loaded. Colome walks in a run, giving Jayson Werth a free RBI. Manny Acta, Nationals Manager calls on Big John Albaladejo, who blows away Chris Coste. Carlos Ruiz singles in another run, but Church throws home in time to nail Wes Helms at the plate. 4-1 Phillies after nine and a half...
The Nationals have three outs to get three runs. Clay Condrey gives up a leadoff single to Nook Logan. Felipe Lopez flies out to right. Ryan Zimmerman up next. Logan takes second. Zimmerman grounds out to short. Austin Kearns goes to a full count and flies out to right. Phillies win. 4-1 final. Philly wins their third straight, and nine of their last ten.
Nationals now 68-87.