Phillies 4, Nationals 2
John Mayberry Jr. homered and drove in three runs and Roy Halladay allowed two runs over seven innings to lead host Philadelphia to a second consecutive win over National League East leader Washington.
Halladay (8-7) displayed impeccable control, throwing 86 of his 105 pitches for strikes and limiting the Nationals to seven hits while striking out six. Halladay has won four of his last five starts.
Chase Utley and Mayberry staked Halladay to a 2-0 lead with RBI singles in the first, and that's where it stayed until Steve Lombardozzi's two-run single tied it in the fifth. Mayberry put the Phillies back ahead 3-2 with a solo shot into the left-field seats in the sixth and added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
The Nationals nearly tied it in the seventh, when Lombardozzi missed an RBI double by inches foul before popping out to end the inning.
Washington didn't threaten again, as Antonio Bastardo struck out the side in the eighth and Jonathan Papelbon struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 29th save.
Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez (16-7) gave up three runs on five hits over six innings, snapping a string of three straight wins for the left-hander and denying his bid to take over the major-league lead for wins.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Nationals have lost back-to-back road games for the first time since June 24-25. They have the best road record in the majors at 41-25. … Halladay has won 12 of his last 13 decisions against the Nationals franchise, dating to its days as the Montreal Expos. He is 12-2 all-time against the franchise. … Washington SS Ian Desmond (right knee) missed his second consecutive game and OF Michael Morse (bruised hand) also sat out for the Nationals. … Phillies OF Domonic Brown (knee) was not in the starting lineup for the first time since July 31.