Phillies walk off on Nationals on Andrew Knapp home run in the 13th, 4-3: Nats drop three of four in Citizens Bank...

Washington scored three runs on Jake Arrieta in five innings, but Nationals’ left-hander Gio Gonzalez walked three batters in a three-run bottom of the fifth as the Philadelphia Phillies rallied to tie it, 3-3. It was still tied in the 13th when Andrew Knapp hit a walk-off home run off Nats’ reliever Justin Miller to mercifully end it. Nationals drop three of four in Philly.

Gonzalez vs Phillies: Gio Gonzalez tossed five scoreless innings against the Phillies back on May 4th, for the first win in a month of May which saw him go (3-0) in five starts with a 1.42 ERA, 14 walks, 26 Ks, and a .193/.282/.312 line against in 30 ²⁄₃ IP.

In June, however, things did. not. go. as. well.

Gonzalez was winless in five outings coming into the finale of the four-game set in Citizens Bank Park, having gone just an inning-plus against the Tampa Bay Rays in his last start prior to this afternoon’s turn in the rotation.

In the last month, the Nationals’ left-hander was (0-3) with an 8.44 ERA, 11 walks, 19 Ks, and a rough .311/.386/.589 line against in 21 ¹⁄₃ IP.

Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images

Gonzalez tossed four scoreless on 49 pitches as the Nats jumped out to a 3-0 lead, working around a two-out single in the third, and a leadoff walk in the fourth, but he issued a second consecutive leadoff walk in the fifth inning and a single followed, putting a runner in scoring position with one down, and a second walk loaded’em up in front of Cesar Hernandez, who walked to force in a run, 3-1.

A sac fly by Rhys Hoskins made it a one-run game, 3-2, and put Gonzalez at 82 pitches, and a two-out single by Odubel Herrera tied things up, 3-3.

Gio Gonzalez’s Line: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 Ks, 89 P, 56 S, 7/3 GO/FO.

Arrieta vs the Nationals: Jake Arrieta tossed six strong against the Nats during the Phillies’ visit to D.C. in early May, walking two batters, striking out two, and giving up two hits and one earned run in what ended up being a 5-4 loss in which he received no decision.

Nationals’ skipper Davey Martinez talked before that game about going up against Arrieta, who was in Chicago when Martinez was the Cubs’ bench coach, and the approach hitters needed to take against the one-time Cy Young award winner.

“We’ve got to swing at strikes,” Martinez said. “I truly believe that from the other side.

“Teams that make him throw the ball over the plate, he can run his pitch count up, so we’ve got to be aggressive, but be aggressive in the strike zone. He’s really good.”

Arrieta was, however, winless in his five starts going into today’s outing, with a 6.66 ERA and a .305/.364/.543 line against in 25 ²⁄₃ IP over that stretch.

The only two hits Arrieta allowed through four innings were both bunt singles, and an error on the second bunt, by Trea Turner, led to the Nationals’ first run, with Turner moving up on the E:2, taking third on a groundout by Juan Soto, and scoring on a sac fly to right field by Anthony Rendon, 1-0.

Daniel Murphy walked to start the top of the fifth inning, and took third on a sharp one-hop grounder by Mark Reynolds to Phillies’ second baseman, Cesar Hernandez, who had it bounce off him and shoot into right field to put runners on the corners with no one out.

A passed ball moved Reynolds to second, and a two-out line drive single to right by Adam Eaton drove both runners in, 3-0 Nationals.

Jake Arrieta’s Line: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 Ks, 71 P, 46 S, 9/1 GO/FO.

Team Speed: Adam Eaton bunted his way on to start the game, but was stranded. Another bunt single in the fourth, by Trea Turner, led to a throwing error by Phillies’ backstop Jorge Alfaro, whose off-balance, desperate throw to first sailed by the bag and into foul territory out in right, allowing Turner to take second on the play.

Turner moved up to third on a groundout to the right side by Juan Soto in the next at bat, and scored on a sac fly to right by Anthony Rendon, 1-0.

The bunt single left Turner 16 for 43 (.372 AVG) with a double, triple, two home runs, five walks, two stolen bases, and 10 runs scored in his last twelve games.

BULLPEN ACTION: Lefty Austin Davis took over for the Phillies in the sixth, and struck out the side in a 13-pitch frame.

Brandon Kintzler retired the Phillies in order in an 11-pitch sixth.

Davis got the first out of the seventh before Philly skipper Gabe Kapler went to the pen again for Pat Neshek, who gave up a one-out single to left field by Mark Reynolds.

Reynolds took second on an error by Rhys Hoskins on the hit, and Brian Goodwin walked with two down, putting two on in front of Adam Eaton, but a swinging K ended the threat and kept it tied.

Matt Grace gave up a leadoff single by Nick Williams but got two outs before skipper Davey Martinez went to the pen for Ryan Madson vs Rhys Hoskins.

Winner: Madson via K. Still 3-3.

Mark Leiter, Jr. gave up a two-out double by Anthony Rendon (No. 24), so Kapler walked Bryce Harper intentionally to set up an Adam Morgan vs Daniel Murphy matchup.

Winner: Morgan via groundout.

Kelvin Herrera needed seven pitches to set the Phillies down in order in the eighth.

Jake Thompson walked Mark Reynolds to start the ninth, but a swinging K from Pedro Severino and an inning-ending 5-4-3 kept it tied.

Tim Collins came on in the home-half of the ninth inning, and walked the first batter he faced, Jesmuel Valentin, who took second on a single to right by Jorge Alfaro, but was forced out at third on a bad bunt by Nick Williams.

Martinez went to the pen for Sean Doolittle vs Carlos Santana with two on and one out, and Doolittle got a double play grounder with the first pitch he threw, 5-3 to keep it 3-3.

Turner singled to start the tenth, buzzing Thompson’s tower with a liner to center field, and took second on a Juan Soto groundout. Anthony Rendon took a four-pitch walk in the next at bat, bringing Bryce Harper to the plate, but a groundout to first ended the threat.

Doolittle came back for more in the bottom of the tenth, and retired the side in order in a 13-pitch tenth.

Shawn Kelley came on after Thompson tossed another scoreless inning in the top of the eleventh, and retired the side in order.

Wilmer Difo walked to start the twelfth, but was doubled up on a 4-6-3 DP. Trea Turner’s third hit was a line drive single to left with two down, but he was caught stealing.

Justin Miller retired the first two batters he faced before giving up a two-out single to right by Carlos Santana and a walk to Cesar Hernandez that moved the winning run into scoring position for Rhys Hoskins, who chased an 0-2 fastball up high.

Nick Pivetta came on in relief as the bullpens emptied out, and walked Rendon with one down, before retiring Harper and Murphy to end the top of the thirteenth.

Miller came out again at 25 pitches after a scoreless twelfth and retired one batter before Andrew Knapp hit a walk-off homer, 4-3 final.

Ballgame.

Final Score: 4-3 Phillies

Nationals now 42-40