Major League Baseball
Washington 5, Philadelphia 2
When: 7:05 PM ET, Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Where: Nationals Park, Washington, District of Columbia
Temperature: 80°
Umpires: Home - Ben May, 1B - Mark Wegner, 2B - Alan Porter, 3B - Stu Scheurwater
Attendance: 22091

Wilmer Difo singled home the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and the Washington Nationals went on to beat the visiting Philadelphia Phillies 5-2 on Wednesday night.

The National League wild-card leaders maintained their one-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers, who defeated the Cincinnati Reds.

Howie Kendrick and Brian Dozier homered for the Nationals, who have won four straight.

Washington trailed 2-1 when Asdrubal Cabrera singled with one out in the seventh to chase Phillies starter Drew Smyly. Yan Gomes doubled down the right-field line off reliever Mike Morin (1-3), putting runners on second and third. Cabrera scored on a sacrifice fly by Victor Robles, and Difo followed with a single to right center to bring home Gomes.

Difo was making his first start since May 16.

Nationals starter Anibal Sanchez (11-8) allowed two runs on six hits in seven innings. He struck out seven without a walk. Sean Doolittle pitched a scoreless ninth inning with three strikeouts for his 29th save and first since Aug. 16.

Smyly allowed two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings and struck out a season-high 10 batters.

Philadelphia's Brad Miller gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead with a solo homer in the top of the seventh, his third in two games. The Phillies have lost five straight and seven of their last eight.

One day after clinching a playoff spot, Nationals manager Dave Martinez rested shortstop Trea Turner and third baseman Anthony Rendon.

The Phillies took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Bryce Harper (two hits) doubled and scored on a single by Rhys Hoskins.

Kendrick tied it in the bottom half when he lined a Smyly offering into the Phillies' bullpen for his 17th homer of the season, one shy of his career high.

Miller led off the seventh with a shot into the second deck in right off Sanchez for his 11th of the season.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
Starting Pitchers
Philadelphia   Washington
Drew Smyly Player Anibal Sanchez
No Decision W/L Win
6.1 IP 7.0
10 Strikeouts 7
4 Hits 6
2.84 ERA 2.57
Hitting
Philadelphia   Washington
Bryce Harper Player Wilmer Difo
2 Hits 2
0 RBI 1
0 HR 0
3 TB 2
.500 Avg .667
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Hits HR TB Avg LOB K RBI BB SB Errors
Philadelphia 8 1 13 .235 8 11 2 0 2 1
Washington 8 2 15 .258 7 11 5 1 0 1