The Washington Nationals allowed nine runs in the ninth inning to fall 14-9 on Tuesday night
Eight runs in the ninth inning proved to be the downfall for the Washington Nationals as the Philadelphia Phillies tied up the series at one following an 14-9 finish on Tuesday night. In a season that has watched multiple humbling defeats including walk off losses, few have been as disheartening as game two in the divisional series.
After PJ Poulin opened the first inning, the Nationals turned to eight different pitchers in the loss with only Zack Littell, Mitchell Parker and Orlando Ribalta lasting at least one inning. CJ Abrams, meanwhile, was scratched minutes before the opening pitch with what the team described as left side tightness.
Washington went ahead in the bottom of the second after Jacob Young's grounder into a double play was enough to bring in Dylan Crews home from his leadoff single, but the Nationals were able to add cushion there innings later.
After Andres Chaparro then Crews reached base on infield singles before a wild pitch got Chaparro to third, a Jorbit Vivas walk would then load the bases. The Nationals then cashed in after consecutive singles from Nasim Nunez then Jose Tena blew the game open to a 5-0 lead.
With Zack Littell on the mound, the Phillies would answer back with a two run homer in the top of the fifth before a pop out ended both the inning and his night, ending his outing with a pair of earned runs and five hits allowed to go with five strikeouts across four innings.
Ribalta's first batter led to a fielder's choice that made it a 5-3 contest before the Phillies took their first lead of the day with Clayton Beeter on the mound. Inheriting a bases loaded situation with two outs, Beeter gave up a three-run double that pushed Philadelphia ahead, 6-5. Jorbit Vivas then answered back with what could've been considered as his biggest hit as a National after his 410 foot, three-run home run just eight pitches into the bottom of the eighth inning put Washington back on top, 8-6.
Then, the ninth inning happened where normally reliable Brad Lord proved to be anything but after giving up a pair of home runs and five earned runs before Paxton Schultz gave up a pair of RBI hits to cement the 14-8 loss.
Luis Garcia Jr tallied a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth for the game's final run.
Washington now falls to 41-39 and will return to action on Wednesday for another 6:45 PM opening pitch as Miles Mikolas is set to take the mound.
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