It could be a meaningless regular-season game in early April or a tense night at RFK Stadium in late September. When the Nationals have played Philadelphia this season no lead is safe for either team.
So there were no illusions that the Nats’ four-run advantage in the late innings would hold up against a desperate team fighting for its postseason life. The Phillies erased the lead all at once in the seventh inning and MVP candidate Jimmy Rollins drove in the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning double in Philadelphia’s 7-6 win on Thursday.
The Phillies (83-70), in second place in the National League East, needed a win to close within 1 1/2 games of first-place New York (84-68), which lost to Florida in 10 innings, 8-7.
Nats starter Jason Bergmann was in line for his fourth consecutive win, leaving after a solid six innings with four hits, just two walks and two runs allowed. But the bullpen quickly faltered while up 6-2 in the seventh. Luis Ayala gave up a hit and a walk and Jayson Werth crushed a three-run home run off the facing of the left-field upper deck against Artie Munoz. A Rollins double and fielder’s choice grounder by Chase Utley tied the score at 6 and set the stage in the eighth for Rollins’ game-winning RBI double.
The Nats had one last chance in the bottom of the ninth against Philadelphia closer Brett Myers. With pinch-runner Ryan Langerhans on first, following a single by Wily Mo Pena, Myers induced pinch-hitter Jesus Flores into a pop fly for the second out and caught Austin Kearns looking at strike three to end the game.
Game note
» The Nats (68-85) are 3-4 during the final homestand of the season. They need four more wins to beat last year’s record of 71-91
