Field Level Media
May 5, 2018
Philadelphia right fielder Rhys Hoskins hit a two-run homer two batters into the game and right-hander Vince Velasquez gave up one hit in five innings in the Phillies' 3-1 victory over the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Saturday.
Hoskins had his fifth homer of the season and Maikel Franco added an RBI single for the Phillies, who had lost five of six after losing the first game of the weekend series.
Wilmer Difo homered for the Nationals, who had a six-game winning streak broken. Difo is 12-for-22 with two doubles, two homers, four RBIs and eight runs in his last eight games. The Nationals had won seven of nine.
Odubel Herrera walked once in four plate appearances to extend his streak of reaching base to 34 straight games, the longest active streak in the majors.
Velasquez (2-4) gave up one hit and one run in five innings, with four strikeouts and four walks, while breaking a three-game losing streak.
Washington right-hander Tanner Roark (2-3) gave up six hits and three runs in 6 1/3 innings. He walked three and tied a season high with nine strikeouts.
Hector Neris walked two but was helped by a double play in the ninth inning for his sixth save in seven opportunities.
Washington third baseman Anthony Rendon walked twice in four plate appearances while returning to the lineup after missing 19 games with a left toe injury suffered when he fouled a ball off his foot.
Cesar Hernandez singled to open the game and Hoskins followed with his first homer since April 21 for a quick 2-0 lead.
The Phillies threatened in the third inning when Hoskins and Herrera walked with two outs, but Roark got Carlos Santana to ground into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Roark was hit by a pitch to open the bottom of the third, and Rendon walked with two outs before Velasquez struck out Matt Adams.
Difo's homer with one out in the fifth inning to make it 2-1 was the first and only hit off Velasquez.
The Phillies added a run in the sixth inning when Santana tripled and scored on Maikel Franco's single to make it 3-1.
--Field Level Media