Phillies walk off Nationals for 3-2 win in 10 innings

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals put back-to-back runners on base in the first inning when third baseman Yunel Escobar singled and right fielder Bryce Harper walked with one out. But Phillies starter Cole Hamels was able to get first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and catcher Wilson Ramos Ramos to ground out, leaving the Nats with yet another scoring opportunity squandered.

The Nats have had runners on base in the first inning of each of the first five games and have left seven of them on base. They have scored three times in the first on a two-run homer from Zimmerman in in the season's second game and a solo shot from center fielder Michael A. Taylor to lead off last night.

The Phillies' best scoring opportunity also came in the first inning tonight, when first baseman Ryan Howard hit a two-out double to the right field corner. Phillies second baseman Chase Utley attempted to score all the way from first but Harper gathered the ball and fired a cutoff throw to Danny Espinosa, who relayed a bullet to Ramos. Ramos made a tough back-handed pick on a one-hopper in the dirt and turned to easily tag out Utley.

Nats starter Doug Fister also gave up back-to-back singles to start the third. He was able to get the next three batters to end the inning with no harm done.

Fister has kept the Phillies scoreless while scattering four hits with a walk and a strikeout through four innings.

Ramos put the Nats on the board with one out in the fourth when he took a Hamels offering the opposite way, depositing the ball in the front row of the right field seats for a solo homer. It's Ramos' first of the year and the Nats' fourth on the season.

Update: The Nats just have Escobar's first inning single and Ramos' solo homer to show in the hit column on another anemic night for the offense.

Nationals manager Matt Williams came to the mound to get Fister after he gave up a one-out single in the seventh. Fister delivered a solid outing, allowing six hits with one walk and a strikeout in 6 1/3 scoreless innings.

Lefty Matt Thornton came on to get two quick outs to finish the seventh.

Update II: Espinosa led off the the eighth batting from the left side against Phillies right-hander Jeanmar Gomez. Interesting to note, since Williams and the Nats maintained throughout the spring that Espinosa would be batting exclusively from the right side. In fact, all 56 of his Grapefruit League at-bats came from the right side.

Nevertheless, Espinosa smacked a double that rolled to the right field wall to start the inning. Espinosa advanced to third on a wild pitch before pinch-hitter Clint Robinson drove him home with an RBI single.

Taylor followed with a single to right giving the Nats aother prime scoring opportunity, with runners at first and second and no outs and the meat of the order coming to the plate. But the Nats could not do further damage as Escobar flew out, and Harper and Zimmerman struck out.

Williams called on right-hander Blake Treinen to pitch the eighth. After Utley hit a one-out single, Howard smoked a fastball off the left field wall for an RBI double. One batter later, catcher Carlos Ruiz drove in the tying run on a bouncer up the middle that neither shortstop Ian Desmond nor Espinosa could get their gloves on. Treinen gave up a fourth straight hit when right fielder Grady Sizemore doubled, but he was able to bear down and work out of the jam to end the inning.

Left fielder Reed Johnson hit a two-single against Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth but Espinosa struck out to end the inning.

Right-hander Craig Stammen will start the ninth for the Nats.

The Nats and Phillies are tied 2-2 in the ninth.

Update III: Craig Stammen worked out of trouble in the ninth, striking out the side and getting Cesar Hernandez for the third out with runners on first and second. We're heading to the 10th inning tied 2-2.

Update IV: The Phillies win 3-2 in 10 innings. With Tanner Roark pitching the 10th, Ruiz led off with a single to left, then advanced to second on a fly ball into the left field corner by Sizemore. Odubel Herrera ended it with a double down the right field line. It was Herrera's first major league hit and RBI.