Nationals 12, Phillies 2
PHILADELPHIA -- Jayson Werth homered twice, Bryce Harper hit his 40th home run of the season and Gio Gonzalez matched a career high in strikeouts as the Washington Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 12-2 on Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep.
It was the second time in the three-game series that Werth left the yard twice against his former team. He hit solo shots in the fourth and sixth innings.
Harper also ended the series with four homers. His two-run blast in the seventh gave the 22-year-old the National League home run lead over Colorado's Nolan Arenado.
The Nationals scored the game's final nine runs, which was plenty of support for Gonzalez. The left-hander struck out 12 Phillies in seven innings and allowed two runs, five hits and two walks.
Gonzalez (11-7) finished with a dozen strikeouts for the second time in his career, the other coming Sept. 25, 2014, against the New York Mets. It was also the second consecutive game in which Washington's starting pitcher had at least 12 strikeouts after Stephen Strasburg collected 14 on Tuesday night.
Second baseman Anthony Rendon and third baseman Yunel Escobar also drove in two runs apiece as Washington totaled 15 hits and cruised to its fourth consecutive win.
The Nationals started the damage in the second inning when they loaded the bases with no outs against Phillies starter Alec Asher (0-4). In his fourth career start, Asher was eventually tagged for four earned runs and gave up seven hits in five innings.
The Phillies' combination of relievers (Hector Neris, Justin De Fratus, Nolan Ogando and Ken Roberts) surrendered eight runs (seven earned) in four innings.
The Nationals loaded the bases with no outs in the second against Asher. However, the rookie right-hander was able to limit the damage as catcher Jose Lobaton's sacrifice fly to right field produced the only run.
Werth made it 2-0 in the fourth when he hit his third home run of the series to left field. Werth, a former member of the Phillies, homered twice in Monday's series opener and has 10 home runs this season.
Washington tacked on two runs in the fifth thanks to five hits. Rendon and Escobar both had RBIs in the inning, but the damage could have been worse.
Center fielder Michael A. Taylor and Escobar were thrown out at home. Taylor got caught in a rundown and Escobar was gunned down by center fielder Aaron Altherr on a bang-bang play at the plate -- and the call stood after replay review.
The Phillies got on the scoreboard in the fourth when first baseman Darin Ruf hit his eighth homer of the year. It was a towering shot off Gonzalez that also brought home second baseman Andres Blanco, who led off the inning with a single.
NOTES: The Phillies shifted their rotation before Wednesday's game to have RHP Alec Asher start in the series finale against Washington. Rookie LHP Adam Morgan, who was originally supposed to pitch against the Nationals, will start against the Braves on Friday after the Phillies' off-day on Thursday. Morgan has thrown 78 1/3 innings in 14 starts since debuting on June 21. ... OF Aaron Altherr returned to the Phillies' lineup after being held out of Tuesday night's 4-0 loss with a bruised elbow. Altherr entered Wednesday's game with a .839 OPS in 24 games this season. ... Washington RF Bryce Harper's 40 home runs are the most ever by a left-handed Nationals batter. Harper topped Adam Dunn on that list but still trails right-handed-hitting Alfonso Soriano, who hit 46 homers in 2006, for the franchise season record.