After scoring just six runs in their opening series against the Red Sox, the Phillies exploded -- the verb fits in this case -- for four runs in the seventh inning against the Nationals Friday night en route to a 4-1 win.
Gio Gonzalez had held the Phils off the scoreboard for six innings before losing his control in the seventh, walking Grady Sizemore and Cameron Rupp and hitting Andres Blanco with a two-strike pitch to load the bases. Manager Matt Williams pulled his lefty at that point, but pinch-hitter Cesar Hernandez put the Phillies ahead with a two-run single and Freddy Galvis and Chase Utley followed with tack-on RBIs.
Ken Giles and Jonathan Papelbon pitched scoreless innings to close out the win.
The Phillies improved to 2-2 on the young season, while the Nats fell to 1-3.
As stacked as Washington’s rotation is, there isn’t a whole lot of punch in this Nationals offense with Anthony Rendon and Jayson Werth on the DL and Adam LaRoche on the south side of Chicago.
Starting pitching report
Jerome Williams allowed three hits in the first inning, including a leadoff homer to Michael Taylor (not the former Phils prospect).
But he settled in after that, turning in an impressive season debut after a rough spring.
Williams allowed one run on five hits over six innings, walking one and striking out six. He retired 15 of the final 18 batters he faced.
Williams has a 2.70 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 10 starts since joining the Phillies last August. He’s allowed one run or fewer five times and two or fewer seven times.
Gonzalez allowed three runs on five hits, four walks and an HBP over 6 2/3 innings.
Bullpen report
After walking three batters and throwing 31 pitches in 2/3 of an inning in his season debut, Giles had the solid rebound outing he needed, pitching a scoreless eighth.
Giles struck out two batters, including Bryce Harper looking at a slider with a man on second to end the inning. Giles sat mostly in the 94-95 mph range with his fastball, but the slider was sharp and effective.
Papelbon pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his 108th save in a Phillies uniform. He is four saves away from tying Jose Mesa’s franchise record.
Luis Garcia also gave the Phillies a scoreless inning, retiring the Nats in order in the seventh to pick up the win.
At the plate
Galvis is seeing the ball well. Out of the two-hole, he went 3 for 3 with a double, a walk and an RBI single in the Phillies’ four-run seventh. Galvis is 5 for 9 the last two nights.
Hernandez’s pinch-hit, bases-loaded, two-run single went just over first baseman Ryan Zimmerman’s head to give the Phils a lead.
The Nats hit a few balls hard, but their hits were scattered and they had just one opportunity all game with two men on base.
Ryan Howard and Cody Asche were given the night off.
In the field
Sizemore nailed Ian Desmond at second base when the Nats’ shortstop tried to stretch a single to left-center into a double in the fourth inning. It was a big out, as it would have given the Nats at least runners on the corners with one out. Utley gets credit for applying a nice tag.
Attendance
The announced attendance of 19,047 was the lowest in Citizens Bank Park history.
Up next
Cole Hamels (0-1, 7.20) makes his second start of the season as the Phillies face Doug Fister (season debut) and the Nationals at 7:05 p.m. on TCN.