The Washington Nationals salvaged the final game of their opening series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday, securing a 5-1 victory thanks to timely home runs from Josh Bell and Nathaniel Lowe. The win prevented a season-opening sweep by their division rivals.
After a quiet start to his return to Washington, Josh Bell provided the spark the Nationals needed in the fourth inning. Facing Phillies ace Aaron Nola, Bell connected with a fastball, sending it soaring into the center-field seats for a crucial three-run homer. This big swing put the Nationals ahead and injected much-needed energy into the lineup.
Later in the sixth inning, Nathaniel Lowe added to the lead with a two-run shot to center field, also off Nola. This blast effectively ended Nola's outing and gave the Nationals a comfortable cushion.
However, the offensive fireworks were only part of the story. Nationals starting pitcher Mitchell Parker delivered a stellar performance in his first start of the season. Despite navigating through traffic in the early innings, Parker remained composed and pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings. He allowed seven hits while striking out five Phillies batters, showcasing impressive poise and control.
The bullpen had its moments as well. After Parker exited with two runners on in the seventh, Jose A. Ferrer managed to escape a bases-loaded jam by inducing an inning-ending double play. In a tense ninth inning, Kyle Finnegan entered with the bases loaded and no outs. While he allowed an RBI grounder, he shut the door by retiring the next two hitters to earn his first save of the season.
While the veteran bats provided the power, rookie Dylan Crews continued to search for his first major league hit, striking out in all three of his plate appearances. Paul DeJong had a productive day at the plate for the Nationals, collecting three hits.
The Phillies were without key players J.T. Realmuto and Trea Turner due to injuries, which undoubtedly impacted their lineup.
Key Takeaway: Despite dropping the first two games, the Nationals showed resilience and received excellent starting pitching throughout the series. In fact, Washington's starting pitchers posted an impressive combined ERA of just 1.03 over the three games. Sunday's victory, fueled by Bell's breakthrough homer and Parker's strong outing, provides a positive note as the Nationals look ahead to the rest of the season.