Nats get to Hamels in first (Nats win 5-3 in 10 innings)

Left-hander Cole Hamels entered the night leading the Phillies rotation with a 2.87 ERA, having not allowed more than three runs since May 27. But the Nationals got to him right away tonight, taking a 1-0 lead in the first. Denard Span drew a leadoff walk and a double by Anthony Rendon put runners on second and third with no outs. Jayson Werth grounded out to short, bringing Span home and moving Rendon to third. But the Nats couldn't push another run across. Hamels minimized the damage by getting Adam LaRoche to strike out swinging and Ryan Zimmerman to ground out to third, leaving Rendon 90 feet away. Now it's right-hander Stephen Strasburg's turn to put up a zero and set the tone. Update: Even though Hamels' third frame is the only 1-2-3 inning of the contest so far, Strasburg has been able to escape some jams and hold onto a 1-0 lead. Strasburg has let the leadoff man reach in each of the first three innings, but has stranded four men on base as the Phillies have gone 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. In all, Strasburg has allowed four hits and a walk while striking out four through three scoreless frames. He has thrown 56 pitches, 33 for strikes. The Nats have had similar struggles. They've left two men on base and are also 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position against Hamels, who has allowed one run on two hits in three innings. Update II: He's rolling now. Bite my tongue because Strasburg has now retired nine in a row since walking Grady Sizemore to lead off the third inning, tossing perfect fourth and fifth frames. He struck out the side in the fourth on just 11 pitches and tossed a three-up, three-down fifth on just 12 pitches. Strasburg has now struck out eight over five scoreless innings. He has allowed four hits and walked one while throwing 79 pitches, 49 for strikes. Hamels has been nearly as good, allowing two hits, a run and two walks in five frames. Update III: And now Strasburg has some much-needed run support. The Nats extended their lead to 3-0 over Hamels and the Phillies when Rendon drew a leadoff walk in the sixth and Werth smashed a 2-2 fastball to right for a two-run homer. It was Werth's 11th home run of the year, his third in four games and fifth in 10 games this month. The Nats right fielder has also added six doubles and 15 RBIs so far in July after recording one homer, five doubles and 13 RBIs in 25 games last month. Werth has now driven in all three of the Nats' runs tonight as Strasburg goes back to work. Update IV: Instead of sitting the Phillies down quickly to carry over the momentum from Werth's homer, Strasburg struggled in the bottom of the sixth and saw his night come to an end. Strasburg was forced to throw 32 pitches in the frame and Philadelphia scored twice to cut the Nats' lead to 3-2. Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley started the inning with singles. After Ryan Howard flied out, Rollins and Utley executed a double-steal and scored on Marlon Byrd's two-run single. Strasburg struck out Cody Asche, but walked Cameron Rupp to draw manager Matt Williams out of the dugout. Left-hander Jerry Blevins entered in relief and got Ben Revere to fly out to end the inning. Strasburg finished with two earned runs on seven hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out nine. Update V: The Phillies evened things up with a two-out rally against Tyler Clippard in the eighth. Clippard retired the first two batters of the inning before Asche singled, Rupp walked and Revere drove in the tying run with an RBI single up the middle. So it's all tied at 3-3 as the Nats and Phillies head to the ninth. Update VI: Jonathan Papelbon and Ross Detwiler each pitched a scoreless ninth, so the Nats and Phillies head to the 10th inning tied 3-3. Washington is 2-8 in extra innings this season. The Nats threatened in the top of the ninth when Ian Desmond led off with a bunt single and reached second with one out. But he was stranded there. The Nats are now 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Update VII: After starting the night 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position, Zimmerman picked the perfect moment to record the Nats' first hit in such situations. With two on and two out in the 10th, Zimmerman lined an 0-2 pitch from Jake Diekman into center, scoring Span from second to break the tie. Werth went from first to third on Zimmerman's single and scored on a wild pitch during Desmond's at-bat. So the Nats head to the bottom of the 10th up 5-3. Can they hold on? Update VIII: Closer Rafael Soriano came on and pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to finish off the Phillies for a 5-3 Nats win. Detwiler earned his first win of the season while Soriano recorded his 22nd save. The Nats improved to 50-42 and stayed tied with the Braves atop the National League East.