Escobar, Robinson help Nats avoid sweep (Nats win 4-3 in 10)

PHILADELPHIA - Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper hit an opposite-field rocket off Phillies starter Sean O'Sullivan in the first that just cleared the wall in left. The solo homer is Harper's second of the season.

The Nats have now hit three homers in the first inning through six games this season. First baseman Ryan Zimmerman and center fielder Michael A. Taylor are the others to deliver early bombs.

Nats starter Max Scherzer walked Phillies left fielder Ben Revere to start the game, but no harm was done as he retired the next three batters in order.

Update: Zimmerman and left fielder Clint Robinson started the fourth with back-to-back singles, leaving runners at the corners for the Nats. Catcher Wilson Ramos followed with a sacrafice fly, plating Zimmerman for the Nats second run.

Scherzer ran into some difficulty after he gave up consecutive two-out hits in the third, but he battled back to strike out Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard to end the threat. Scherzer's allowed three hits with a walk and six strikeouts through three scoreless innings.

Update II: A one-out walk to Sullivan came back to burn Scherzer in the fifth. After Revere singled, third baseman Cody Asche smacked a base knock to right field scoring Sullivan to put the Phillies on the board. Scherzer was able to prevent further damage when he struck out Howard for the third time this afternoon.

Update III: Scherzer finished his day with his eighth strikeout to end the sixth. He gave up the one run on six hits with two walks.

Sullivan was equally impressive in his six innings today. The Nats managed just two runs on five hits while striking out five times against the journeyman. The Nats have made some pedestrian pitchers look like Cy Young candidates in this series.

The Phillies wasted no time taking advantage of Scherzer's departure in the seventh. Outfielder Darin Ruf hit a leadoff homer to deep left field off Nationals left-hander Xavier Cedeno to even up the score. It's the fourth lead the Nats have blown in six games this season.

Update IV: Right-handers Craig Stammen and Aaron Barrett pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth inning respectively to help the Nats into extra innings for the second straight game with the Phillies.

The Nats have only two hits since the fourth inning, both off the bat of third baseman Yunel Escobar.

Update V: Escobar led off the 10th with a double to right field. After two failing to lay down a bunt on the first two pitches, Harper was able to advance Escobar to third on a ground out to first base. Phillies manager called on right-hander Justin De Fratus out of the bullpen. With Zimmerman at the plate, De Fratus promptly delivered a wild pitch that allowed Escobar to score the go-ahead run easily.

Zimmerman then grounded out on a call that was reversed after inintially being called a hit. One batter later, Robinson absolutely crushed a ball off the top of the center field wall for a double. Ramos then singled him home for an insurance run.

Update VI: Closer Drew Storen made it interesting in the 10th. He led off the inning by issung back-to-back walks. Three batters later, the Phillies plated a run on Odubel Herrera's RBI single, cutting the deficit to one. Zimmerman made a tremendous play on a Cesar Hernadez grounder to flip to Storen and secure the Nats' second win of the season.

The Nats beat the Phillies 4-2 in 10 innings.