Phillies fall to Nationals, will be 2-seed in National League
The Los Angeles Dodgers clinched home-field advantage throughout the postseason on Saturday when the Philadelphia Phillies lost 6-3 to the Washington Nationals, who got a three-run homer from Joey Gallo in a four-run eighth inning.
Los Angeles and Philadelphia open the Division Series on Oct. 5 against teams that emerge from next week's Wild Card Series.
James Wood hit a two-run, opposite-field homer in the sixth off Zack Wheeler, who finished 16-7 with a 2.57 ERA after allowing three hits in 6 1/3 innings while tying his season high with 11 strikeouts. Wheeler struck out 224 in 200 innings.
Trea Turner tied the score with a two-out homer in the eighth against Jose A. Ferrer (1-0).
Wood tripled leading off the bottom half against Jeff Hoffman (3-3) and scored on Keibert Ruiz's bloop single. Dylan Crews singled with two outs and Gallo followed with his 10th homer, a drive down the right-field line.
Both benches and bullpens emptied after Bryce Harper struck out ending the eighth and appeared to be yelling with a member of the Nationals as they left the field. Harper had argued with Ruiz, Washington's catcher, during the at-bat.
Alec Bohm hit an RBI grounder in the ninth.
MacKenzie Gore gave up three hits in six innings and struck out nine — including Kyle Schwarber, Turner and Harper in his final inning this season.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Phillies: OF Austin Hays (sore back) was not in the lineup and was being examined in Washington. OF Johan Rojas (illness) remains in Philadelphia, though he could join the team on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Philadelphia RHP Aaron Nola (13-8, 3.52 ERA), 2-0 with a 0.93 ERA in three starts against Washington this season, opposes RHP Jake Irvin (10-13, 4.22 ERA) in Sunday's regular-season finale.
