Washington Nationals avoid the sweep, snap four-game slide with 5-1 win over Philadelphia Phillies...

Patrick Corbin held the Philadelphia Phillies to a run on five hits in seven strong innings on the mound in Nationals Park, and Washington got a big inning in the bottom of the fourth, with Kyle Schwarber and Josh Bell hitting two-run blasts off of Phillies’ starter Zach Eflin in what ended up a sweep-avoiding 5-1 win for the home team.

Corbin vs the Phillies: Patrick Corbin was on the mound for the Nationals’ only win in three games in Yankee Stadium last weekend, giving up four hits and three runs over six innings in what ended up an 11-4 game in the visiting team’s favor.

“I feel good,” Corbin said after another solid start for the left-hander, who got hit hard out of the gate in his third season in D.C.

“In a good position here. And just like I said I think last time, just want to keep this going and try to improve, get better, and build up everything as this season goes.”

Corbin’s seventh start of the season began with a double to left off of Andrew McCutchen’s bat. McCutchen moved to third on an infield single by Bryce Harper one out later, then scored with two down, when Harper broke early from first, drawing a throw from the starter, and Josh Bell, with McCutchen breaking for home, threw high to the plate, allowing the runner to slide in under Yan Gomes’ tag, 1-0.

Given a 4-1 lead to work with after one, Corbin held the Phillies to the one run through four, completing four innings on 60 total pitches, and after an 11-pitch, 1-2-3 fifth the left-hander had retired 12 of 14 batters going back to the second.

A 15-pitch, 1-2-3 sixth had him at 17 of 19 retired and 86 pitches overall on the day, and he came back out for the top of the seventh and worked around a leadoff single in a 16-pitch frame which left him at 102 pitches total.

Patrick Corbin’s Line: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 Ks, 102 P, 70 S, 9/2 GO/FO.

Eflin vs the Nationals: Zach Eflin, 27, allowed two runs or fewer in five of seven starts on the season heading into tonight’s outing, with a 3.38 ERA, just three walks, and 42 Ks in 45 ¹⁄₃ IP, over which he’d held opposing hitters to a combined .270/.282/.416 line against.

Last time out before tonight, the right-hander held the Atlanta Braves to two runs on five hits in 6 ²⁄₃ IP in what ended up a 12-2 game in the Phillies’ favor.

Going up against the Nationals for the first time this season, Eflin took the mound with a 1-0 lead, and gave up a one-out hit by Josh Harrison and a two-out, two-run opposite field home run by Kyle Schwarber, who lined one out to put the Nationals up, 2-1. Schwarber’s 4th.

Starlin Castro took a two-out walk as well, getting Josh Bell to the plate, and Bell crushed a first-pitch fastball and hit one into the second deck in right field, 445 feet from home plate, for another two-run shot and a 4-1 lead.

Eflin held the Nationals there through five, but three straight hits with one down in the sixth added to the lead with singles by both Juan Soto and Kyle Schwarber and an RBI double by Starlin Castro, 5-1.

Zach Eflin’s Line: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 9 Ks, 2 HRs, 91 P, 66 S, 7/0 GO/FO.

Streaking Castro: With the first of four hits in Wednesday night’s loss to the Phillies, Starlin Castro extended his hit streak to 10-straight games, over which the 31-year-old infielder was 15 for 37 (.405/.488/.486) with three doubles, two RBIs, six walks, and two runs scored.

Castro walked the first time up today, and scored on Josh Bell’s homer, then singled in his second trip to the plate, extending the streak to 11-straight games.

He finished the game 2 for 3 with a walk, RBI, and run scored. Also he can pick it:

Bullpen Action: Tanner Rainey gave up a leadoff double and a walk in the top of the eighth, then got out No. 1 on a line drive to center before Davey Martinez went to the pen again for Daniel Hudson, with the Nationals up 5-1.

Hudson came on with two on and one out and Bryce Harper at the plate, and threw a 98 MPH fastball by Harper up high for out No. 2. Rhys Hoskins stepped in next and grounded out to third to end the threat.

Matt Moore kept it a 5-1 game with a scoreless bottom of the eighth.

Austin Voth came on in the ninth looking to close out the win, and retired the side in order in an 11-pitch frame. Ballgame.

Final Score: 5-1 Nationals

Nationals now 14-19