Nationals not distracted by delay, get started quickly (Phillies win 8-4)

The Nationals were not slowed by Wednesday's delayed first pitch. The Phillies honored their local Little League World Series team during pregame. The first pitch was expected at 7:35 p.m., but instead came at 7:44 p.m.

Denard Span didn't waste any time with a single against Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick to lead off the game. Anthony Rendon followed with a double that rattled around the left field corner. Span raced all the way around from first base to score and the Nationals lead 1-0.

Later, Ian Desmond added a run-scoring single plated Rendon and the Nationals lead 2-0.

The Nationals are 53-17 when they score first.

Right-hander Doug Fister gets the start for the Nationals.

Update: Well, that lead didn't last long. Fister was greeted rudely when Jimmy Rollins homered with one out in the bottom of the first and the Nationals' lead was cut to 2-1. Chase Utley singled. Ryan Howard's single then got past Denard Span, allowing Utley to come all the way around to score and tie the game at 2-2. It was Span's second error of the season.

Update II: Span continues to have a summer. He started the third with a double and scored on a Jayson Werth single, for a 3-2 Nationals lead. Desmond's RBI earlier was his team-leading 80th of the season.

Update III: Span smacked a solo homer, his second home run of the season, and the Nationals lead 4-2. He is now 3-for-3 in this game and needs a triple to hit for the cycle.

Update IV: It was a rough sixth inning for Fister. Domonic Brown hit a RBI double and Grady Sizemore launched a two-run shot and suddently the Phillies lead 5-4. With two outs, Fister hit Ben Revere with a pitch and his start was over.

Fister finished 5 2/3 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on 10 hits, with two homers, one walk and three strikeouts. He finished with 100 pitches, 68 for strikes.

Update V: Facing Ross Detwiler with a man on to begin the seventh, Marlon Byrd crushed a two-run shot, his 24th homer of the season, and the Phillies extended their lead to 7-4.

Update VI: Detwiler also allowed a RBI single from Howard and the Phillies lead 8-4 after eight innings.

Update VII: The Nationals tallied a couple of hits in the ninth versus Ken Giles, but could not plate a run.

The Phillies win 8-4 and sweep the series. The Nationals let a 4-2 lead evaporate thanks to six runs on eight hits, including two homers, after the fifth inning.