A pair of unearned runs kept starting pitcher Kevin Correia winless in four starts with the Phillies as the Nationals took the first game of a traditional doubleheader, 3-2, Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park.
Staked with a one-run lead thanks to Jeff Francoeur’s solo homer in the second inning, Correia was on the rough end of some defensive miscues behind him.
The Nationals tied the game in the fifth when Francoeur bobbled a double by Denard Span, allowing him to reach third. He scored three pitches later on a sacrifice fly.
The Nats added two more in the sixth on a double by Michael Taylor and a bases-loaded passed ball charged to catcher Cameron Rupp.
Starting pitching report
Correia pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run — three total — on seven hits and three walks. He struck out four hitters and lowered his ERA from 4.30 to 3.60.
Stephen Strasburg allowed a pair of runs on four hits in seven innings as he improved to 6-2 in 14 career starts against the Phillies. He also struck out a season-high nine.
MLB
Bullpen report
Jeanmar Gomez retired the only batter he faced in the sixth before turning it over to lefty Jake Diekman with two outs in the inning. Diekman recorded the final out, but not before throwing a wild pitch — charged as a passed ball — to allow the Nats’ third run to score.
Diekman pitched an inning, allowing a pair of walks and one of two inherited runners to score. Luis Garcia threw one pitch to get out of the seventh before tossing a scoreless eighth.
Justin De Fratus faced four batters in a scoreless ninth.
Drew Storen picked up his 23rd save of the season for the Nationals — that’s the second most in the majors.
At the plate
Francoeur drove in both of the Phillies’ runs with a solo homer (his fifth HR of the season) and a two-out single to drive in Maikel Franco in the sixth.
Francoeur also reached base in the fourth on a throwing error by third baseman Danny Espinosa.
Otherwise, Cesar Hernandez contributed the team’s first and fifth hits with a pair of singles as the Phillies went just 1 for 3 with runners in scoring position as the Nats’ pitchers retired the last 10 hitters of the game.
For Washington, Dan Uggla had a three-hit game while Span and Taylor picked up a pair of hits.
Up next
Severino Gonzalez (2-2, 8.69) was recalled from Triple A on Saturday night to pitch the nightcap. The Nats will decide on a starting pitcher at game time.