Washington Nationals 3-1 over Philadelphia Phillies + Spencer Kieboom loses tooth, hits first MLB HR...

Erick Fedde struck out nine of the 20 batters he faced over 5 ²⁄₃ scoreless, and his catcher, Spencer Kieboom, homered for the first time in the majors before Fedde, who connected for his first MLB hit in the at bat after Kieboom’s blast, scored the second run of the game for the Washington Nationals, who beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-1 in Citizens Bank Park.

Fedde vs the Phillies: Erick Fedde’s first start since July 4th lasted five innings, over which the 25-year-old 2014 1st Round pick gave up four hits, two walks, and four earned runs.

The right-hander missed two months recovering from a shoulder issue, but worked his way back and struck out seven of the 21 batters he faced in what ended up an 11-8 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in which he received no decision.

Going up against the Philadelphia Phillies this afternoon in Citizens Bank Park, Fedde tossed four scoreless to start, striking out five of the 13 batters he faced before connecting for his first major league hit, and scoring the second of two runs the Nats put up in the top of the fifth, 2-0.

Fedde came out for the bottom of the fifth at 61 pitches, and picked up two Ks in a 19-pitch frame that left him at 80 total (with seven strikeouts) after five scoreless. Two strikeouts in the Philly sixth gave the righty nine Ks from 18 batters faced, but a two-out single by Cesar Hernandez brought Davey Martinez out to the mound for a conversation. Martinez left the starter in to face Rhys Hoskins, and Fedde, who was up to 93 pitches, walked the batter to put two on. That was it for Fedde...

Erick Fedde’s Line: 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 Ks, 100 P, 56 S, 6/1 GO/FO.

Pivetta vs the Nationals: Former Nationals’ prospect Nick Pivetta, who was traded to the Phillies in the Jonathan Papelbon deal, was winless in his first three starts against Philly’s divisional rivals this season before facing the Nats again today, with 20 hits and 15 earned runs allowed in 7 ²⁄₃ IP total in those outings.

In his fourth appearance against Washington this season, in relief, he earned the win with a scoreless frame in the 13th inning of a 13-inning game.

Pivetta was winless in his last five outings overall before today’s start in Citizens Bank Park, with a 5.33 ERA and .268/.343/.423 line against in 25 ¹⁄₃ IP over that stretch.

He tossed four scoreless on 84 pitches in the first game of this afternoon’s doubleheader, but ran into trouble in the fifth inning, with Spencer Kieboom lining a first-pitch fastball out to right for a solo home run and a 1-0 lead, and the opposing pitcher, Erick Fedde, singling in the next at bat to bring an end to Pivetta’s outing.

Nick Pivetta’s Line: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 91 P, 56 S, 5/1 GO/FO.

Pronounced - Key-BOOM!!!: Nationals’ catcher Spencer Kieboom started the scoring in the first game of today’s doubleheader in Citizens Bank Park, connecting on a first-pitch fastball from Nick Pivetta in the fifth and sending a solo shot out to right for an opposite field blast.

It was the first HR in the 27-year-old catcher’s major league career, in his 44th game and his 117th MLB plate appearance.

Also, random stats: He’s now hit in 15 of 31 starts, and on the season, he’s thrown out 10 of 22 would-be basestealers this season (45% CS%) after one Phillie stole a base on him in today’s game.

Um, also, Kieboom lost a tooth before his first home run:

BULLPEN ACTION: Luis Avilan took over with one out, a runner (Erick Fedde) at first and Adam Eaton at the plate, and struck the #Nationals’ outfielder out for the second out of Washington’s fifth. Philly skipper Gabe Kapler went to the pen again for Luis Garcia vs a right-hander, Trea Turner, who walked to put two on. So Kapler went to the pen again, to bring Adam Morgan on to face Bryce Harper, who lined an RBI single to right-center and ended up getting thrown out going too far around first base as the Phillies threw it in and got the final out of the frame, 2-0 Nationals.

Hector Neris worked around a Juan Soto single for a scoreless, 20-pitch sixth.

Justin Miller got the final out of the Phillies’ sixth after taking over on the mound for Fedde.

Tommy Hunter got help from his catcher with a caught stealing on Andrew Stevenson for the final out of a scoreless top of the seventh, still 2-0 Nationals.

Juan Soto doing Juan Soto things t-shirt from Breaking T:

LINK: Get a new Juan Soto t-shirt from Breaking T HERE

Koda Glover got a little help from Juan Soto, who made a ridiculous leaping grab of a foul ball in left field to end the frame.

A two-out rally in the top of the eighth put the Nationals up 3-0, with Anthony Rendon hitting a single to left, taking third on a Juan Soto single to right, and scoring on a Ryan Zimmerman grounder up the middle that Cesar Hernandez couldn’t handle.

Greg Holland got the eighth for the Nats, and gave up a one-out double to right that almost went out by J.P. Crawford. One out later, a walk to Rhys Hoskins put two runners on in front of pinch hitter Jose Bautista, who went down swinging to end the inning.

Philly lefty Austin Davis worked around a two-out double by Trea Turner for a scoreless top of the ninth, (with Turner caught stealing at third to end the inning).

Sean Doolittle came on for the save opportunity in the bottom of the ninth inning and gave up a leadoff walk to Carlos Santana, who took second base on a wild pitch, and scored one out later on an RBI single by Maikel Franco, 3-1. A swinging K from Jorge Alfaro ended it...

Ballgame.

Final Score: 3-1 Nationals

Nationals now 72-72