Vs. Washington Nationals (87-55) RHP Ben Lively [3-5, 3.92] | RHP Stephen Strasburg [12-4, 2.78] Sun., Sept
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Philadelphia Phillies (54-88) vs. Washington Nationals (87-55) RHP Ben Lively [3-5, 3.92] | RHP Stephen Strasburg [12-4, 2.78] Sun., Sept. 10 l 1:35 p.m. l Game #143 / Home #71 l Nationals Park l Washington, D.C. Television: MASN l Radio: 106.7 FM The Fan & Nationals Radio Network Standing: 87-55, 1st place, National League East • Home: 42-28 • Road: 45-27 • Streak: L1 • Last Five: 4-1 • Last Ten: 6-4 NATIONALS NEWS OPPONENT ON THE BRINK PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES With a 19.0-game lead in the National League East, the Nationals are closing in on their fourth The Nationals and Phillies will meet 19 times this season (10 in D.C., 9 in Philadelphia)...OF division crown and their first-ever back-to-back playoff appearances...The Nationals’ “Magic Jayson Werth (2007-10), RHP Joe Blanton (2008-12) & RHP Ryan Madson (2003-11) are Number” to clinch a playoff spot and the division title is down to two as they head into their the only members of the Nationals’ roster who have seen both sides of this rivalry, and all Sunday matinee series finale vs. the Philadelphia Phillies...That means if Washington tops three helped the Phillies earn a ring in 2008...Nationals pitching coach Mike Maddux (1986- Philadelphia, and the Atlanta Braves defeat the Miami Marlins, Washington will secure its 89) went 10-13 with a 4.51 ERA in 65 games/33 starts for the Phillies...Hitting coach Rick fourth National League East division crown on Sunday afternoon at Nationals Park. Schu played primarily third base and hit .250 with 24 home runs and 79 RBI in parts of five • The Nationals are 18-9 in their last 27 games, outscoring opponents 123-86 in that span, seasons (1984-87, 1991) with the Phillies. and stretching their division lead from 14.0 games to 19.0 games. • At 87-55 (.613), the Nationals boast the second-best record in Major League Baseball and THE SERIES in the National League, trailing only the Los Angeles Dodgers (92-50, .648). The Nationals dominated the season series vs. Philadelphia in 2016, finishing with a 14-5 • The first leg of the Nationals’ penultimate homestand of the regular season wraps up on record, including an 8-1 record at Citizens Bank Park...Despite trailing, 113-124, in the all-time Sunday, but will continue after Monday’s off day with the Braves (Tues-Thurs.) and Dodg- series (2005-pres.), since 2011, Washington holds a 78-53 (.595) record over Philadelphia... ers (Fri.-Sun.)...This 10-game, 11-day stay is Washington’s longest of the season. From 2005-10, the Nationals went 39-71 (.355) against the Phillies. THIS MAN IS ON FIRE 2017 / BY THE NUMBERS Nationals CF Michael A. Taylor followed up his 4-for-5, 5 RBI, Inside-The-Park Grand Slam 2017 W-L ......................................................................... 9-6 (6-3 in D.C., 3-3 in Philadelphia) night on Friday with a 2-for-3 evening on Saturday that included a traditional home run and Streak ..............................................................................................................................Lost 1 three RBI...Taylor, who continues to re-set his career-best for homers in a season, now has Aggregate Score / 2017 ..................................................................... Nationals 73, Phillies 78 16 longballs in 100 games played...In 27 games since returning from the disabled list on Aug. Home Runs Hit / 2017 ........................................................................ Nationals 21, Phillies 15 13, Taylor has hit .263, just below his .274 season average -- but in the past four games Taylor has truly found his groove, hitting .600 (9-for-15), with one double, one triple, three home runs, ALL-TIME SERIES / BY THE NUMBERS nine RBI, two walks and five runs scored...He is slugging 1.400 in this stretch. W-L / Nationals (2005-present) ....................................................................................113-124 • Taylor’s ITP grand slam was the first in Nationals history (2005-present), and just the sec- W-L / Home (2005-present) ..............................................................................................62-59 ond in franchise history (Nationals/Expos), joining Montreal’s Bombo Rivera, whose first- W-L / Nationals Park (2008-present) ................................................................................50-43 career home run was an ITPGS...Coincidentally, on second base for Rivera’s “blast” was W-L / Away (2005-present) ...............................................................................................51-65 Phillies manager Pete Mackanin. W-L / Franchise (Expos/Nationals) ...............................................................................404-428 • Also coincidentally, exactly two years ago to the day -- on Sept. 8, 2015 -- Taylor hit what looked to be an Inside-The-Park Grand Slam off the Mets...It was ruled by the official scorer 2017 AGAINST THE PHILLIES DATE RESULT WIN-LOSS-SV TOG DATE RESULT WIN-LOSS-SV TOG to be a single and a three-base error by Mets CF Yoenis Cespedes, thus making Taylor’s 4/7@ W, 7-6 Scherzer-Velasquez-Treinen 3:34 5/12 ***PPD, Rain -- Rescheduled for 5/14*** ITPGS on Friday night just the second ITPGS hit in the Major Leagues since 2000. 4/8@ L, 3-17 Nola-Guthrie-None 3:15 5/13 W, 6-4 Kelley-Ramos-None 3:34 4/9@ L, 4-3 Gomez-Glover-None 3:24 5/14 L, 3-4 Benoit-Kelley-Neris 3:02 • Perhaps in the craziest of coincidences, both Inside-The-Park Grand Slams hit since 2000 4/14 W, 3-2 (10) Kelley-Gomez-None 3:18 5/14 W, 6-5 Turner-Neshek-Albers 3:34 have come at Nationals Park in a game involving the Phillies and Nationals: The other was 4/15 L, 2-4 Hellickson-Blanton-Benoit 2:39 9/7 W, 4-3 Roark-Morgan-Doolittle 3:09 4/16 W, 6-4 Kelley-Benoit-None 3:11 9/8 W, 11-10 Scherzer-Thompson-Doolittle 3:27 hit by PHI’s Aaron Altherr off Jordan Zimmermann on Sept. 25, 2015. 5/5@ W, 4-2 Strasburg-Pivetta-Albers 3:20 9/9 L, 4-5 Leiter Jr.-Jackson-Neris 3:23 5/6@ W, 6-2 Cole-Vasquez-None 3:01 9/10 10 SPOT 5/7@ L, 5-6 (10) Neris-Treinen-None 3:51 9/25@ 9/26@ The Nationals scored at least 10 runs in a game for the 21st time this season on Friday night... 9/27@ That’s the most such games in a season in franchise (Nationals/Expos) history...The previous record of 14 games of at least 10 runs was set by the 2016 Nationals. TRANSACTIONS AND DISABLED LIST 9/4..... Recalled RHP A.J. Cole and C Pedro Severino from Triple-A Syracuse...Placed RHP Erick Fedde on • The Nationals’ 21 10+ run games are the most in Major League Baseball ahead of the the 10-day disabled list with a right forearm flexor strain. Cleveland Indians (20). 9/7..... Selected the contract of OF Victor Robles from Double-A Harrisburg...Recalled OF Rafael Bautista • The Nationals also have seven different players over the 10-homer mark for the season: and OF Andrew Stevenson from Triple-A Syracuse...Transferred RHP Erick Fedde to the 60-day DL. Ryan Zimmerman (31), Bryce Harper (29), Anthony Rendon (23), Daniel Murphy (22), 9/8..... Recalled INF Adrian Sanchez from Triple-A Syracuse. DISABLED LIST Michael A. Taylor (16), Brian Goodwin (13), and Adam Lind (11). PLAYER INJURY 10/60 DL PLACED / RETRO REINSTATED #GAMES Adam Eaton L. Knee Strain 60 April 29 119 20-80 X 4 Koda Glover Lower Back Stiffness 60 June 11 82 Joe Ross R. Elbow Sprain 60 July 14 / July 11 54 Thanks to 1B Ryan Zimmerman (31 HR, 95 RBI), RF Bryce Harper (29 HR, 87 RBI), 3B Ryan Raburn L. Trapezius Strain 60 July 26 / July 23 46 Stephen Drew L. Abdominal Strain 60 July 29 / July 26 44 Anthony Rendon (23 HR, 91 RBI) and 2B Daniel Murphy (22 HR, 88 RBI), the Nationals are Bryce Harper Hyperextended L knee 10 Aug. 13 28 the only club in Major League Baseball with four players boasting at least 20 HR and at least Brian Goodwin L. Groin Strain 10 Aug. 16 / Aug. 14 26 Erick Fedde R. Forearm Flexor Strain 60 Sept. 4 6 80 RBI...Only Colorado and Cincinnati have three players past the 20/80 mark. Trea Turner R. Hamstring Strain 10 April 10 / April 9 April 21 10 Koda Glover L. Hip Impingement 10 April 26 May 12 14 Shawn Kelley Lower Back Strain 10 May 5 / May 2 May 12 9 STARTING STRONG Stephen Drew R. Hamstring Strain 10 April 12 May 29 41 The Nationals’ starting pitching staff has posted a 2.71 ERA (57 ER/189.0 IP) in their last Jose Marmolejos L. Forearm Strain 60 Feb. 24 June 1 52 Joe Blanton R Shoulder Inflammation 10 May 17 June 11 21 31 starts (dating to Aug. 9 vs. Miami)...A 2.71 ERA in this stretch leads the National League. Sammy Solis L. Elbow Inflammation 60 April 19 July 1 65 • On the season, WSH’s starters rank among MLB staffs in ERA (1st, 3.48), opp. AVG (1st, Chris Heisey R Biceps Rupture 10 May 24 July 7 40 Michael A. Taylor R. Oblique Strain 10 July 7 Aug. 13 29 .230), strikeouts (3rd; 1st in NL, 886), opp. SLG (1st, .386), and opp. OBP (3rd, .299). Shawn Kelley R Trapezius Strain 10 June 18 / June 17 Aug. 17 51 • WSH boasts three starters ranked in the top five in ERA in MLB:RHP Max Scherzer (2nd, Stephen Strasburg R. Elbow nerve impingement 10 July 27 / July 24 Aug. 19 23 Max Scherzer L. Neck Inflammation 10 Aug. 18 / Aug. 15 Aug. 28 12 2.32), LHP Gio Gonzalez (3rd, 2.50), & RHP Stephen Strasburg (5th, 2.78).