The Sports Xchange
May 13, 2017
WASHINGTON -- Bryce Harper hit a two-run homer with two outs in the last of the ninth inning off Edubray Ramos as the first-place Washington Nationals stormed back to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-4 on Saturday night.
It was the fifth career walk-off homer for Harper, who earlier in the day signed a contract for the 2018 season. Adam Lind began the bottom of the ninth with a pinch-hit single to right.
The winning pitcher was Shawn Kelley (3-0), who pitched a scoreless ninth. Ramos (0-3) was tagged with the loss.
Washington's Ryan Zimmerman had two hits and drove in two runs.
Michael A. Taylor was 2-for-4 for the Nationals, who had been rained out the previous two days and had not played since a walk-off win Wednesday over the Baltimore Orioles.
Tommy Joseph was 2-for-3 for the Phillies, who have lost three in a row.
The Washington bullpen, which began the day with the highest ERA in the league, did not allow a run in 4 1/3 innings.
Philadelphia rookie Nick Pivetta, drafted by the Nationals in the fourth round in 2013, outpitched veteran Tanner Roark early before Washington came alive.
Pivetta, traded to Philadelphia for Jonathan Papelbon in 2015, also had his first major league hit with a single in the fifth.
The Phillies scored three runs in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead against Roark.
Michael Saunders had a run-scoring single and Cameron Rupp followed with a two-run single with the bases loaded two batters later to make it 3-0.
Joseph had an RBI double off reliever Joe Blanton to drive in Pivetta in the fifth to build the lead to 4-0.
But the Nationals got on the board in the fifth as Trea Turner hit a two-run homer to trim the margin to 4-2. Ryan Zimmerman tied it 4-4 with a two-run double up the alley in right-center field to chase Pivetta.
Roark had his shortest outing of the season, going 4 2/3 innings and allowing four runs and six hits while throwing 110 pitches. Pivetta also went 4 2/3 innings, yielding four runs, four walks and five hits before Luis Garcia got the last out in the fifth.
NOTES: RF Bryce Harper was already under team control through the 2018 season with the Nationals. But the National League East division leaders took a step to a possible long-term deal when the team announced a 2018 contract agreement. Harper was arbitration eligible after the 2017 season, but Washington took an unusual step of coming to terms with the Las Vegas native before the season ends. The deal for 2018 is worth about $21.625 million, according to several sources, including MLB.com and Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). Harper is still eligible for free agency after the 2018 season. The amount is a record for an arbitration-eligible player. ... Washington LHP Gio Gonzalez (3-1, 2.64 ERA) will face Philadelphia RHP Jeremey Hellickson (4-1, 3.49) on Sunday afternoon. Washington RHP Max Scherzer (4-2, 2.59) will oppose Philadelphia RHP Vince Velasquez (2-3, 5.94) in the nightcap. The two games are the result of a Friday rainout. ... Washington LF Jayson Werth, who started the game, was replaced in the field in the top of the eighth inning by Chris Heisey. There was no immediate word on Werth's condition. The Nationals are one of the few teams that did not give injury updates during a game.