Rendon, Gonzalez power Nationals past Phillies
WASHINGTON -- Anthony Rendon broke a tie with an RBI double in the seventh and Gio Gonzalez allowed just one run in seven innings as the first-place Washington Nationals posted a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.
The Nationals (85-58), who took three of four from Philadelphia, started the day nine games ahead of the second-place New York Mets in the National League East. The Phillies (63-80) are 5-14 against Washington this year.
Bryce Harper walked to lead off the seventh against starter Adam Morgan (2-10) and then scored on the double with no outs to left-center by Rendon, who leads National League third basemen with 37 such hits. The Nationals got a break as the Rendon hit off reliever Edubray Ramos nearly bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double, which would have kept Harper at third.
Rendon scored to make it 3-1 on a passed ball by catcher A.J. Ellis on a pitch from Ramos.
The Phillies cut the lead to 3-2 when Freddy Galvis led off the eighth with a solo homer on the first pitch from rookie reliever Koda Glover. Later in the inning, Cesar Hernandez had his second single of the game, off Blake Treinen. After a walk to Roman Quinn, Treinen induced a double play grounder by Andres Blanco to end the inning.
Gonzalez (11-9) gave up just four hits after allowing six runs and eight hits in three innings in his previous start against the Atlanta Braves. Closer Mark Melancon pitched the ninth for the Nationals and got his 11th save since he was traded to Washington from the Pittsburgh Pirates in late July.
Tommy Joseph of the Phillies hit a 3-1 pitch over the fence in center to tie the game at 1 off Gonzalez in the seventh. Gonzalez had retired nine batters in a row before Joseph hit his 18th homer.
The Nationals took a 1-0 lead in the first as Trea Turner led off with a single and scored on a double by Daniel Murphy. The lefty-hitting Murphy extended his career high for doubles (42) and RBIs (102).
Hard-luck loser Morgan allowed two runs in six innings and is now 1-10 in his last 15 starts.
Turner had two hits and two steals for the Nationals, who are 45-19 against the other members of NL East. That is the most wins of any team in its own division. Gonzalez has allowed at least one run in every start since six scoreless innings May 2 at Kansas City.
The Nationals have won their last five games decided by one run.
NOTES: To mark the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus threw out the first pitch, local first responders were recognized and the U.S. Naval Academy Men's and Women's Glee Club & Gospel Choir performed the national anthem. ... The Phillies recalled C Jorge Alfaro and OF Roman Quinn from Double-A Reading after that minor-league team had its season end Saturday in the Eastern League playoffs. Quinn was in the starting lineup at center field to make his big league debut and he grounded out in the first inning in his first at-bat. ... Phillies RHP Jeremy Hellickson (10-9, 3.90) will face Pirates RHP Gerritt Cole (7-9, 3.55) on Monday in Philadelphia. ... Washington starting LHP Gio Gonzalez played in the Phillies' system for Double-A Reading in 2006. He posted a 7-12 mark in 27 starts. ... The Nationals begin a three-game series at home Monday with the second-place New York Mets.