Maikel Franco hit a walk-off homer with one out in the ninth inning Sunday afternoon to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a much-needed 4-3 win over the visiting Washington Nationals.

The win by the Phillies salvaged the finale of the three-game series and pulled them within 1 1/2 games of the National League wild card-leading Nationals, who lost for just the third time in the last 15 games.

Jay Bruce led off the ninth by striking out against left-hander Matt Grace (0-2). But Franco wasted no time ending the game by homering well into the left field seats on Grace's next pitch. It was the second career walk-off blast and 100th career homer for Franco, who dropped his bat, extended both arms and walked up the first base line until he finally began trotting once the ball landed.

Hector Neris (2-4) earned the win after striking out the side in a perfect top of the ninth. Neris blew the save Saturday, when the Phillies squandered a three-run lead and fell 4-3 on Juan Soto's two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning.

Philadelphia appeared in danger of suffering another agonizing defeat Sunday, when it held a 3-1 lead before Howie Kendrick and Trea Turner delivered back-to-back RBI singles with one out in the seventh. But Ranger Suarez, Adam Morgan and Neris combined to retire the next eight batters.

The teams traded runs in the fourth, when the Nationals took the lead on Matt Adams' RBI single before J.T. Realmuto tied the score with his own run-scoring single.

The Phillies took a 2-1 lead in the fifth on a two-out RBI single by Jean Segura and extended the lead when Realmuto led off the sixth with a homer.

Phillies starter Jake Arrieta, pitching for the first time since acknowledging he has a bone spur in his right elbow, allowed one run on four hits and two walks while striking out two over five innings.

National starter Anibal Sanchez gave up three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out two over six innings.

--Field Level Media