Josh Bell hit a three-run homer, Nathaniel Lowe added a two-run shot, and the Washington Nationals beat the visiting Philadelphia Phillies 5-1 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.
Left-hander Mitchell Parker (1-0) gave up seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts over 6 1/3 scoreless innings.
The Phillies broke the shutout in the ninth inning when Nationals reliever Brad Lord loaded the bases on a single and two walks without recording an out in his major league debut. After Lord was replaced by Kyle Finnegan, one run scored on Rafael Marchan’s groundout.
Finnegan retired the next two batters for his first save.
Lowe had three hits and Paul DeJong had two doubles among his three hits for Washington, which put just one runner on base in the first three innings against Phillies starter Aaron Nola (0-1).
The Nationals broke through with two outs in the fourth when Bell came to the plate after Keibert Ruiz was hit by a pitch and Lowe singled on a line drive to right field.
Bell was hitless in his first nine at-bats this season before unloading on Nola’s first pitch for a three-run blast into the center field seats.
The Nationals added to their lead with one out in the sixth inning. Ruiz singled and Lowe followed with a two-run homer to center field. The 421-foot blast was Lowe’s second homer this season.
Nola gave up five runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out eight batters with no walks while throwing 95 pitches.
After Philadelphia put two runners on with one out in the seventh inning, Jose A. Ferrer replaced Parker and hit Kyle Schwarber with a pitch to load the bases. Washington escaped unscathed when Alec Bohm grounded into a double play.
Philadelphia was held to eight singles and went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
Nationals right fielder Dylan Crews struck out three times and has fanned eight consecutive times.
The Phillies played without catcher J.T. Realmuto (bruised left foot) and shortstop Trea Turner (back spasms), who are both listed as day-to-day.
–Field Level Media
