Knapp Hits Walk Off Home Run In 13th Inning; Phillies Rally To Beat Nationals 4-3
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — At the end of a sweltering afternoon, Andrew Knapp kept the Philadelphia Phillies on a red-hot streak.
Knapp hit a game-ending pinch-hit homer just inside the right field foul pole in the 13th inning as the Phillies came from behind to beat the Washington Nationals 4-3 Sunday.
"That was cool," Knapp said. "That was a huge team win — huge team series."
The win was the Phillies third in this four-game set with Washington. All the wins have come by one-run margins. Over the past two weekends, Philadelphia has gone 5-2 against the two-time defending National League East champions, increasing their edge on the Nationals to three games for second place in the division.
"It shows we're here to stay," Knapp said. "Obviously, there's a lot of games left, and we have to keep playing well. But we're up there with a lot of those teams. This was a huge series win for us, especially coming off the series win in Washington. They wanted to come here and sweep us. For us to take 3 of 4 was cool."
The Nationals are now 6-15 in their past 21 games dating back to June 8. Washington is six games behind Atlanta for the lead in the NL East.
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On Sunday, Washington managed only four hits in eight innings against the Philadelphia bullpen, never moving a baserunner past second base in that stretch while striking out seven times.
"We've got to start striking out less, putting the balls in play, driving in runs when we have the ability to drive in runs," Washington manager Davey Martinez said. "But it'll turn. Our offense is good. I know it's good. And I truly believe that it'll turn around."
Knapp ended the game when he turned on a Justin Miller fastball and lofted it into the bleachers in right field. Miller (5-1) gave up the run in 1 1/3 innings of work.
Nick Pivetta (5-7) got the win pitching a scoreless inning. Pivetta- normally a starter- was roughed up for seven runs in 1 2/3 innings of work on Friday night. He entered the game as the final pitcher that Philadelphia had available.
"He wanted the opportunity bad," Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said. "I asked him and pushed him to make sure that this is something that he was going to fight for and he did."
Washington jumped out early, scoring an unearned run in the fourth on an Anthony Rendon sacrifice fly. In the fifth, the lead expanded to 3-0 when Adam Eaton singled to right to score Daniel Murphy and Mark Reynolds.
However, Gio Gonzalez labored in the bottom of the fifth after cruising through the first four innings with only one hit and one walk allowed. He walked three guys in the fifth inning, including Cesar Hernandez with the bases loaded, that put Philadelphia on the board. Rhys Hoskins' sacrifice fly to right made it 3-2 then Odubel Herrera singled to score Carlos Santana to tie the game.
(Copyright 2018 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
