Washington Nationals drop series opener to Philadelphia Phillies, 8-3 in D.C.

Erick Fedde gave up an RBI single by Andrew McCutchen and a three-run home run by J.T. Realmuto in the third inning tonight, and that was enough for the Philadelphia Phillies, in an 8-3 win in the series opener with Washington in Nationals Park.

But seriously, did you see Victor Robles’s 8-3 DP throw from center field? Just watch that below and skip the rest... or read it since we took time writing it, whatevers.

Fedde vs the Phillies: Erick Fedde didn’t expect to go 5 ¹⁄₃ innings last time out, in a relief appearance which started in the first when Stephen Strasburg was lifted from his outing.

He did, however, know he needed to be ready with Strasburg dealing with a nerve issue in his hand (carpal tunnel neuritis) which ended up requiring surgery.

Fedde filled in admirably, holding the Baltimore Orioles scoreless while he was on the hill in what ended up a 15-3 win.

Fedde, (pitching in Strasburg’s spot in the rotation, with the ‘09 No. 1 overall pick done for the year, and pitching on 10 days’ rest), tossed two scoreless on 30 pitches to start, but a one-out double and RBI single in the third tied things up at 1-1 after the Nationals jumped out to an early lead, 1-1 (with the double by Scott Kingery, and the RBI single by Andrew McCutchen). Rhys Hoskins singled as well, and the runners both advanced on a wild pitch before J.T. Realmuto hit a fly to right that bounced on top of the padded wall and fell into the Nationals’ bullpen. Three-run blast, 4-1 Phillies.

Fedde held it there through five, and his outing ended after 87 pitches when a rain delay before the start of the sixth forced the Nationals to go to the bullpen...

Erick Fedde’s Line: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 87 P, 51 S, 8/5 GO/FO.

Arrieta vs the Nationals: Phillies’ righty Jake Arrieta had surgery to remove a bone spur in his elbow in mid-August last summer, and in four starts before tonight, the veteran starter, who signed a 3-year/$75M free agent deal with Philadelphia in March 2018, put up a 4.95 ERA, six walks, 17 Ks, and a .297/.346/.486 line against in 20 IP.

Arrieta and the Phillies fell behind early in the series opener in D.C., with Trea Turner hitting a 1-1 sinker from the right-hander out to right-center in Nationals Park for a leadoff bomb in the home-half of the first inning, 1-0 Nationals.

After working around a double and a walk in the second, it was 4-1 Philly in the third, when Arrieta came back out and retired the Nationals in order, and the Phillies’ starter got a 6-4-3 DP after a one-out single in the fourth, and a 6-3 DP to end the fifth inning, after Nationals’ first baseman Eric Thames reached on an error with one down.

Jake Arrieta’s Line: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 54 P, 34 S, 10/1 GO/FO.

Turn-On: Trea Turner started the night with a 10-game hit streak, over which he was 17 for 39 (.436 AVG), with three doubles, two triples, two home runs, seven RBIs, four walks, two HBPs, and 14 runs scored during the streak.

Turner also had a 16-game on-base streak over which he’d put up a .473 OBP.

Both streaks were extended when the 27-year-old shortstop homered to start the bottom of the first, taking a 1-1 sinker from Jake Arrieta out the other way for a solo shot and a 1-0 lead.

BULLPEN ACTION: Javy Guerra took over on the mound for the Nationals after a 1 hr, 13 min rain delay before the start of the sixth.

Heath Hembree retired the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the sixth, but Adam Eaton took a 3-2 slider for a ride to right and into the upper deck for a solo shot, 4-2. No. 3 for Eaton in 2020. A walk to Juan Soto ended Hembree’s night.

Tommy Hunter came on against Asdrúbal Cabrera and got the final out of the frame.

Wander Suero gave up a leadoff single in the seventh when Roman Quinn reached on an infield pop, then stole second, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on a grounder over to short ahead of a throw home from Trea Turner, 5-2 Phillies.

Tanner Rainey came on with two on and two out in the top of the seventh, and struck J.T. Realmuto out to end the frame.

Hunter returned to the mound for the Phils and tossed a scoreless bottom of the seventh.

Rainey came back out too, and gave up a leadoff double by Didi Gregorius and an RBI single by Alec Bohm, 6-2.

Héctor Neris gave up one and two-out singles in the eighth before Philly skipper Joe Girardi went to the pen for Adam(s) Morgan, who got Juan Soto to ground out to end the frame.

Kyle Finnegan gave up three walks, two intentional, loading the bases, and Jean Segura hit a two-run single to right on a fastball up high, 8-2. Dakota Bacus came on to get out No. 3.

Blake Parker got the ninth for the Phillies, and gave up a run but finished things off, 8-3 final.

Nationals now 11-16