Washington Nationals defeat Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 – MLB Update
Washington Nationals outperformed the Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 on Friday, August 12 in the first of the three-game series at Citizens Bank Park.
Livan Hernandez displayed an amazing performance with his hitting and pitching to pave the way for victory.
He snapped in two runs and tossed just over six innings to guide the Washington Nationals’ victory against one of the toughest teams of the MLB, the Philadelphia Phillies.
Allowing three runs and six hits in the five innings, Cole Hamels was relieved after the five innings he pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies. "I just wasn't able to get loosened up," Hamels said. "It's that part of year where you fatigue a little bit and
you have to battle through it."
Thus it was the Nationals’ Hernandez who prevailed on Friday. "He was marvelous," Nationals’ manager Davey Johnson said of Hernandez. "He made a lot of quality pitches."
The Philadelphia Phillies, with their 77 wins top the MLB ranking. Therefore, the Nationals who are 19th in the ranking had a surprise for them to offer with this victory.
Both starters of the Nationals and the Philadelphia had a strong start when they were dispatched on the mound. Cole Hamels threw a hitless inning followed by Livan Hernandez’s scores inning.
"I work hard on my hitting," said Hernandez, who has 10 career homers. “In BP, I felt good and was hitting the ball. I said, 'Watch out.'”
However, the Nationals offence kicked into lively action in the second inning when Hamels came to pitch the second inning. In his 3-hit two-runs second inning, Hamels had much to lose than gain.
Livan Hernandez who was also pitching effectively drove in the first run of the game when singled to shallow left. His run was followed by that of Rick Ankiel who singled to centre to double the lead for the Washington Nationals.
The Phillies were quick to reciprocate as Wilson Valdez scored the first run for the team, bringing the lead down to 2-1. Both Hamels and Hernandez then pitched strong enough innings to keep the score there and limiting the hitters.
Jayson Werth, however, had another single in the fifth against Hamels to take the lead to 3-1 for the Nationals. Hernandez, in the meanwhile, continued with strong innings that he pitched. Hernandez also drove in the second run in the sixth inning to take
the lead to 4-1.
Tyler Clippard who came to replace him maintained a 4-1 lead. As Drew Storen came as the closer, he allowed only a run to Hunter Pace, and sent other hitters packing to wrap up the game with 4-2 victory for the Washington Nationals.
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