Phillies, Halladay Beat The Nationals Again, 4-2

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Roy Halladay outpitched Gio Gonzalez with seven solid innings and John Mayberry Jr. homered to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday night.

Halladay (8-7) allowed two runs and seven hits, struck out six and walked one. The right-hander, who missed 42 games with a strained muscle, is 4-1 with a 2.75 ERA in his last five starts.

The two-time Cy Young Award winner improved to 12-2 in 17 career starts against the Nationals franchise while Philadelphia won for the sixth time in the last eight games.

Steve Lombardozzi drove in both runs for Washington, which lost its third straight.

After Antonio Bastardo struck out the side in the eighth, Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless ninth for his 29th save in 32 chances. The three Phillies pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts.

Mayberry hit a leadoff drive in the sixth inning to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead. It was just the eighth homer allowed this season by Gonzalez, who had yielded one in his last six starts.

Mayberry's sacrifice fly in the eighth scored Chase Utley, who stole second and third after being hit by a pitch.

Gonzalez (16-7), a former Phillies farmhand who was trying to become the first 17-game winner in the majors, lasted six innings and gave up five hits while striking out seven and walking two. Mayberry's homer was the only hit allowed by Gonzalez after the second.

The left-hander had baffled the Phillies in two previous starts this season, going 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 13 innings. But the Phillies jumped on Gonzalez right away this time.

Philadelphia grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first on RBI singles by Utley and Mayberry. Gonzalez needed 31 pitches to get through the opening frame.

The Nationals tied it in the fifth inning on Lombardozzi's two-out, two-run single to center. Washington loaded the bases with one out on three straight singles, but had Gonzalez batting. After two failed bunt attempts, Gonzalez grounded sharply to Utley at second. Instead of trying for the double play, Utley came home to get the lead runner.

Lombardozzi then singled to center to score Danny Espinosa and Kurt Suzuki, who just beat the throw by getting his hand on the plate and under the tag of catcher Erik Kratz.

Washington's Michael Morse did not play after leaving Friday night's game with a bruised right hand after he was hit by a Kyle Kendrick pitch in the first inning. Ian Desmond also missed his second straight game due to a right hamstring strain.

NOTES: Phillies OF Domonic Brown was out of the starting lineup due to right knee soreness. It was the first time Brown did not start since being recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on July 31. Brown hit for Halladay in the seventh inning and struck out. . Philadelphia LHP Cliff Lee (2-7, 3.78 ERA) is scheduled to face RHP Jordan Zimmermann (9-7, 2.54 ERA) in Sunday's series finale.

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