Phillies at Nationals (Game 1)
The Washington Nationals fought through two straight rainouts, gave Bryce Harper a record contract and pulled off a walk-off win on a busy Saturday. Harper and company are in for an even busier Sunday when they make up for Friday's rainout by hosting the Philadelphia Phillies in a day-night doubleheader.
Harper and the Nationals avoided arbitration next winter by agreeing to a $21.625 million extension for the 2018 season, the largest contract ever for an arbitration-eligible player, on Saturday and the All-Star outfielder went out later that night to belt a two-run walk-off homer to give Washington a 6-4 win over the Phillies. "He's our own," Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told reporters of Harper. "Drafted, developed, signed, been an MVP for us. He's a very unique player. There's not many comps for his performance, both in the short-term and in the bulk throughout his career. So he's a unique player with a unique talent set that is our own. We love what he's done for us, and we couldn't be happier that we know where we're at in 2018." Harper is 3-for-14 with seven walks against Phillies Game 1 starter Jeremy Hellickson and 2-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and two walks in his career against nightcap starter Vince Velasquez. Philadelphia, which dropped 11 of its last 13 games, will send its hitters up against lefty Gio Gonzalez and Washington ace Max Scherzer.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Jeremy Hellickson (4-1, 3.49 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (3-1, 2.64)
Hellickson surrendered two or fewer earned runs in each of his first five starts but ran into more trouble in the last two and failed to complete five innings in either turn. The 30-year-old was knocked around for six runs and eight hits over four innings at the Chicago Cubs on May 2 and could not solve the Washington lineup while yielding three runs on five hits and three walks in 4 2/3 frames last Sunday. Hellickson fared better in two April starts against the Nationals, allowing a total of two runs and five hits in 12 innings.
Gonzalez suffered his first loss of the season last time out at Baltimore, when he was knocked around for six runs on seven hits and four walks over six innings. The control issues were nothing new for the Florida native, who issued at least three walks in each of his last five starts and a total of 11 in the past two outings. Gonzalez issued three walks against Philadelphia on April 16 but limited the damage to three runs (two earned) and five hits in 7 1/3 innings without factoring in the decision.
WALK-OFFS
1. Nationals SS Trea Turner is 3-for-29 over his last seven games, dropping his average from .316 to .257.
2. Philadelphia 1B Tommy Joseph is 11-for-23 with four doubles and two home runs in his last seven games.
3. Washington RHPs Koda Glover and Shawn Kelley were both activated off the disabled list on Friday and combined to throw 2 1/3 hitless innings on Saturday.