Pinch hitter Daylen Lile socked a three-run homer in the seventh inning, lifting the host Washington Nationals to a 6-3 win against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday in the opener of a two-game series.
Harry Ford and Andrew Pinckney opened off the seventh with singles against Cristopher Sanchez. After Nasim Nunez bunted the runners over, Jonathan Bowlan replaced Sanchez. Lile, pinch-hitting for Dylan Crews, smacked a first-pitch changeup to center for his 21st homer of the season.
Andres Chaparro had a solo homer and a double for the Nationals (71-81), who have won four straight after losing seven in a row.
Richard Lovelady (3-4) pitched one inning for the win, and Erik Tolman worked the ninth for his third save.
Kyle Schwarber homered and Luis Arraez had two doubles and a walk for the Phillies (83-68), who have lost four of five. Philadelphia remained a half-game behind the Chicago Cubs (84-68) for the top NL wild-card spot, with the San Diego Padres (82-69) one game back of the Phillies.
Sanchez (17-6) allowed five runs on eight hits over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked two.
Washington starter Jackson Kent gave up three runs on four hits over five innings, fanning four and walking three.
Schwarber led off the game with a walk and took second on a wild pitch. He went to third on a groundout and scored when Alec Bohm singled with two outs.
The Nationals took the lead with a two-out rally in the first. Brady House doubled and Yohandy Morales doubled him home. After Jacob Young was hit by a pitch, Jorbit Vivas lined a single to left, scoring Morales.
Trea Turner singled with one out in the third, went to second on a groundout and scored the tying run when Arraez doubled.
Schwarber led off the fifth with his major-league-leading 45th home run of the season, a shot to right, and the Phillies led 3-2.
Chaparro tied it with a shot to center with two outs in the bottom half.
–Field Level Media
