Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Steve Lombardozzi knocked in two runs and
the Washington Nationals inched closer to securing the NL's top seed with a
4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Nationals, who won the NL East on Monday, can secure home-field advantage
throughout the playoffs if the Reds lose to the Cardinals on Tuesday.
Cincinnati and Washington entered Tuesday's play with identical records, but
the Nationals own the tiebreaker for winning the season series.
Adam LaRoche hit a solo homer for Washington, which bounced back from a 2-0
loss in the opener of this three-game series on Monday. The home run gave
LaRoche 100 RBI on the year, making him the third player to record a 100-RBI
season in a Nationals uniform.
Tom Gorzelanny, making his first start of the season for the Nationals,
allowed one run on four hits over 3 2/3 innings. Zach Duke (1-0) pitched a
scoreless sixth to pick up the win.
Darin Ruf hit a pair of solo homers for the Phillies, who are out of the
playoff picture for the first time since 2006.
B.J. Rosenberg gave up one run on three hits over four innings in his first
start in the big leagues. Josh Lindblom (3-5) allowed two runs on three hits
in the sixth to take the loss.
The Phillies (81-80) need a victory on Wednesday to secure a winning record
for a 10th consecutive season.
The Sports Network