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 After hitting the eight-run mark just once over the first two and a
half months of the 2015 season, Philadelphia has done it four times
in a week's span.
It happened again Sunday, with Cesar Hernandez's four-hit game
leading the way in an 8-5 win over the Washington Nationals to
salvage a doubleheader split.
"It's a funny game," said Mackanin, who took over for Ryne Sandberg
after Sandberg resigned from his position Friday. "I don't have the
magic potion--if I did, I'd give everybody some of it."
In the opening game, Washington got seven strong innings from
starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg to hold on for a 3-2 win.
The Nationals (42-34) did not get that same effort from Tanner Roark
in the series finale as their eight game-winning streak was halted.
Roark, who was announced as the starter only 30 minutes before the
game, was chased after just 3 1/3 innings, giving up 12 hits as he
was responsible for eight runs -- all earned. The Phillies (27-50)
batted around twice at least partially under his watch, in the
second and fourth innings, scoring four runs in each frame.
"Not his day," Nationals manager Matt Williams said of his starting
pitcher. "They did a nice job of staying on baseballs and making
contact and hitting it to the middle of the diamond. A lot of
grounders today that got through the infield, a couple of balls off
the end of the bat."
It was difficult to find a Phillies player who wasn't getting
involved in an offense that picked up only five hits in the opening
game of the day but collected 16 base hits off the Nationals' staff
in the second game.
Phillies second baseman Cesar Hernandez went 4-for-4 with a stolen
base after going 2-for-4 with two steals in the first game. Center
fielder Odubel Herrera, who watched the opener from the bench, went
3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Third baseman Maikel
Franco, first baseman Darin Ruf and left fielder Cody Asche had two
hits apiece.
Even starting pitcher Severino Gonzalez got in on the action,
collecting his first major league hit and coming around to score in
the fourth inning.
"You've heard that cliche that hitting is contagious--and it is,
once you get around guys that are getting hits, it just seems to
happen," Mackanin said.
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Gonzalez, who was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley for the
start, was removed in the sixth inning after allowing a home run to
Nationals' catcher Jose Lobaton. He still picked up his third win of
the season by going 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs (all earned)
on six hits while striking out seven.
After the game, it was announced that he would be headed back to the
minor leagues, but he was certainly satisfied with his effort both
on the mound and behind the plate.
"I was hoping that I would get a chance to get a base hit," he said
through a clubhouse translator. "I'm feeling very good, especially
about the opportunity that I got to come over here and pitch today."
The Nationals got within three runs by tacking on one in the
seventh, but aside from a three-run fourth inning it was a struggle
to string together hits with regulars Bryce Harper, Denard Span and
Wilson Ramos all sitting this one out.
Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon worked around a two-out single for
his 14th save in as many opportunities.
Washington will try to start a new winning streak on Tuesday in the
opener of a three game series in Atlanta. The Phillies begin a
four-game set with Milwaukee at home on Monday.
NOTES: The Phillies and Nationals managed to play 1 1/2 innings of
Saturday's game before it was canceled due to rain. Sunday's game,
originally scheduled to start at 1:35 p.m. ET, was moved up to 1:05
p.m. and became the first of a single-admission doubleheader, the
first true doubleheader in Philadelphia since Sept. 3, 2006. ...With
a loss in the opening game of the doubleheader, the Phillies became
the first team to lose 50 games this season. It's the quickest the
franchise has reached 50 losses (76 games) since the 1997 season,
when they started the year 23-50. ...Washington added INF Wilmer
Difo to the active roster as its 26th man for the doubleheader.
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