Bats absent in Nationals' 3-2 loss

By Dan Kolko

Nationals

August 01, 2012, 6:21pm

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In the 18 innings played so far in this series, the Nationals have scored just two runs off Phillies pitching. Think they miss Ryan Zimmerman, who has been out of the starting lineup for both of these games because of a back injury? The Nats dropped their second straight contest to the rival Phils tonight, this one by a 3-2 score. Phillies starter Vance Worley held the Nationals to just two runs (both unearned) on six hits over his seven innings of work. He walked just one and needed only 86 pitches to cruise through seven frames. Worley's no scrub, but the Nats made him look like an ace tonight. After the first inning, in which the Nats scored both their runs and had five baserunners, they were held scoreless and managed just six baserunners the rest of the way. Edwin Jackson battled his way through 5 2/3 innings and the Nationals' bullpen delivered 3 1/3 one-hit frames, but it wasn't enough. One bit of good news is that the Braves also lost tonight, so at least Washington remains 2 1/2 games up in the NL East. It'll be Ross Detwiler against Cole Hamels in tomorrow's series finale as the Nats try and avoid the sweep.