Nationals 11-2 Over Phillies: Wilson Ramos 4 For 4 In 23rd Straight Start

Ryan Zimmerman and Jayson Werth both hit fly balls to the warning track in a sun-drenched Nationals Park, but the finale of the season and weekend series with the Philadelphia Phillies in Washington, D.C started with a scoreless first when each was caught for the second and third outs of the home-half of the first.

Jordan Zimmermann threw a 13-pitch, 1-2-3 top of the first, then came back out for the second after Philadelphia Phillies' right-hander Tyler Cloyd's 11-pitch, 1-2-3 bottom of the inning. Zimmermann gave up a leadoff double on a 1-1 change to Domonic Brown. Darin Ruf took a 2-2 fastball in the arm/ribs in the at bat the followed and an infield single by Cody Asche loaded the bases with no outs. Kevin Frandsen's fly to left scored Brown from third and a high throw in by Bryce Harper allowed Ruf to take third, but catcher Erik Kratz's line drive to right wasn't deep enough to score a second run, and Ruf was stranded at third when Zimmermann struck the opposing pitcher out to end a 20-pitch inning that had him 33 total after two.

Bryce Harper lined a 1-0 cutter from Tyler Cloyd to right and off the out-of-town scoreboard on a bounce for a leadoff double in the Nationals' second. After his 21st two-base hit of 2013, Harper took third on a fly to center by Ian Desmond, but Adam LaRoche K'd looking at a 1-2 fastball outside for out no.2, leaving it up to Wilson Ramos, whose first at bat in his 23rd straight game behind the plate saw him single through short for a two-out RBI hit that tied things up at 1-1 after two in the nation's capital.

Former Nats' outfielder Roger Bernadina doubled to left on a 2-2 fastball from Jordan Zimmermann, took third on a groundout by Jimmy Rollins and scored on a groundout to first by Chase Utley. 2-1 Phillies. Zimmermann's 15-pitch third had him up to 48 overall after three. Denard Span took an 0-1 curve from Tyler Cloyd back up the middle for a one-out single that extended his hit streak to 26 straight games, over which the 29-year-old outfielder was 42 for 108 (.389 AVG) after the hit, but he was stranded at second two outs later when Zimmerman and Werth both flew out again.

Darin Ruf lined to left center to start the fourth, but rumors of Bryce Harper's arm had the Phillies' outfielder hold up at first instead of going for two. Jordan Zimmermann got Cody Asche looking with a 3-2 heater in the next at bat, and Zimmermann completed a 13-pitch inning on a well-turned 6-4-3 when Kevin Frandsen sent a grounder out to short on a 94 mph 1-0 heater. 61 pitches for Zimmermann after four.

Bryce Harper and Ian Desmond hit back-to-back doubles in the first two at bats of the Nats' fourth with Desmond's driving the Nats' 20-year-old slugger in from second to tie things back up at 2-2. No.22 of 2013 for Harper, no.36 for Desmond. Wilson Ramos' second RBI single of the game brought Desmond in from second and the Nats' Iron Man catcher took second base on an ill-advised throw home by Domonic Brown. Steve Lombardozzi moved Ramos over with a single to right, but got thrown out going for second when Kevin Frandsen cut off a high throw, so it was up to Jordan Zimmermann, who came through with a two-out RBI single that brought his catcher in from third. 4-2 after four in D.C.

Jordan Zimmermann's first free pass of the day went to Roger Bernadina with two down in the top of the fifth. Jimmy Rollins singled to right with two down, but a fly to center by Chase Utley ended a 12-pitch inning that had the Nats' right-hander up to 73 pitches overall. Ryan Zimmerman (no relation) lined to left for a leadoff single in the Nationals' fifth, took second on a pitch in the dirt and scored on an RBI single to center by Jayson Werth to make it 5-2 Nats in the fifth in D.C. Phillies' right-hander J.C. Ramirez took over for Tyler Cloyd and got three quick outs without further damage.

Domonic Brown K'd swinging through a 1-2 fastball from Jordan Zimmermann for the first out of the sixth. It looked like Darin Ruf had doubled in the next at bat when the Phillies' right fielder lined a first-pitch fastball to left. Just like he did on Carlos Ruiz's line drive to left the other night, however, Bryce Harper played it off the wall and threw Ruf out on a strike to second base that Steve Lombardozzi caught before applying the tag. Outfield assist no.3 of the series and no. 13 of 2013. Zimmermann walked Cody Asche with two down, but a fly to center by Kevin Frandsen ended a 13-pitch inning that had Zimmermann up to 86 after six innings. Wilson Ramos was 3 for 3 tonight with two RBI singles and a solo home run after he took a 2-1 fastball from J.C. Ramirez into the Red Porch seats in center in Nationals Park for a leadoff blast and a 6-2 Nats' lead. No. 15 of 2013 for Ramos.

Roger Bernadina doubled to right with two down in the top of the seventh, but Jordan Zimmermann popped Jimmy Rollins up to short left to end a 16-pitch inning at 102 total. 6-2 Nats after six and a half.. Jayson Werth singled with one down in the Nationals' seventh and moved up on an opposite field line drive by Bryce Harper off Phillies lefty Joe Savery. Werth and Harper pulled a double steal with Desmond at the plate and both scored when Desmond lined a single into the left field gap. 8-2 Nats. Adam LaRoche singled to move Desmond's pinch runner Zach Walters to second and knock Savery out. Mauricio Robles took over for Philadelphia, but he couldn't stop Wilson Ramos either. Ramos was 4 for 4 on the afternoon when he lined a two-run single to left-center to make it 10-2 Nationals. Denard Span's second hit in five at bats made it 11-2 after seven.

• Jordan Zimmermann's line: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 Ks, 102 P, 65 S, 6/5 GO/FO.

Xavier Cedeno threw a 14-pitch, 1-2-3 eighth vs the Phillies. Luis Garcia threw a scoreless bottom of the inning. Ryan Mattheus came on to pitch the top of the ninth and gave up a leadoff single to right by Cody Asche, but Kevin Frandsen flew out to center for out no.1 and Erik Kratz grounded into a game-ending 6-4-3 DP. Nats win, 11-2 final in the nation's capital.

Nationals now 79-70