Phillies get Harper out late, ride Franco's hit, defeat Nats 4-3

The Phillies' Andres Blanco and Cesar Hernandez had three hits apiece, while Makiel Franco's run-scoring double proved to be the difference in a 4-3 win over the Nationals in D.C.

It marked the Phillies' second straight win over the Nationals, dating back to April 17.

Early on, the Nationals' ace right-hander Max Scherzer had trouble again.

Scherzer allowed two runs in the first inning. Opponents scoring early has been an unfortunate recurrence in his April starts.

In the top of the first, after an Odubel Herrera walk on four pitches, Blanco stepped out of the box a couple of times, calling timeout.

Then on a 0-1 pitch, Blanco launched a Scherzer fastball into the right-center field stands for a 2-0 Phillies lead. It was his first homer of the season.

Scherzer has now allowed eight earned runs and three homers in the first inning over his first five starts of the season.

Overall in innings one through three since his opening start this season, Scherzer has surrendered 11 runs on 14 hits, three doubles and three homers.

The Phillies added a run in the fourth on a Hernandez RBI single.

It could have been worse for Scherzer, but the Nationals defense recorded two outstanding double plays. One started by Daniel Murphy on a hot shot by Blanco in the second. Then in the fifth, Anthony Rendon tagged the runner at third and threw to first to nail Franco.

Scherzer lasted six innings but had to throw 116 pitches to get that far. He allowed three runs on seven hits with four walks and struck out seven.

By contrast, Phillies starter Vince Velasquez also went six innings and allowed three runs, but he did it by throwing 32 fewer pitches than Scherzer.

The Nationals scored a run in the second on a double by Murphy and a sacrifice groundout from Danny Espinosa.

In the fifth, the Nationals tied the game on back-to-back opposite-field run-scoring singles from Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman.

But the Phillies walked Harper three times in the game, twice intentionally. On the two intentional walks, Harper took first with two outs and a runner in scoring position. Both times, Zimmerman was unable to get the runners home.

Then in the ninth with a man on first, two outs and the Nats down one, Harper had another shot to play hero. Facing Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez, Harper grounded out to third.