Ascending Phillies vie to complete sweep of Nationals

Kyle Schwarber has been around long enough to know there will be plenty of pluses and minuses in a 162-game season.

Schwarber and the Philadelphia Phillies currently are in a positive stretch, and they hope to continue that trend Thursday night when they host the Washington Nationals.

Philadelphia has won four games in a row, including the first two of this three-game series. The Phillies rallied for two runs in the ninth inning to secure a 7-6 victory on Tuesday before rolling to a 7-2 triumph Wednesday thanks to Schwarber's early three-run homer and additional solo shots from Max Kepler and J.T. Realmuto.

"Obviously there's some ups and downs," Schwarber said. "That's the great thing about baseball. Every day's an opportunity to learn. And we've got an experienced group. We've had different kinds of starts -- hot, not so hot -- but we've found our way into where we want to be. That mindset? That's a good thing to have."

Washington, which managed only five hits Wednesday, has lost three games in a row. Josh Bell and Dylan Crews each went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, while Jake Irvin allowed a season-high six runs.

"The big thing is, we're playing catch-up a lot," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. "We've got to come out (Thursday), score some early runs and put the pressure on them."

For that goal to come to fruition, Washington will need to create some havoc against Philadelphia starter Taijuan Walker (1-2, 2.78 ERA). The veteran right-hander generally has been effective this season, although he is not coming off his most efficient appearance.

Walker lasted only three innings (allowing two runs and six hits) in Friday's 4-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs. He was pulled after 86 pitches, marking the fourth straight outing in which he failed to surpass five innings.

"As a starter, us having to use the bullpen that much in the first game of the series, it's not really acceptable for me," Walker said after his last appearance. "Just got to be better, try to get quicker outs."

Right-hander Brad Lord (0-3, 4.67 ERA) has joined the Nationals' rotation in recent weeks, although he too has struggled to go deep into games. In his four starts, the 25-year-old rookie has yet to surpass 4 1/3 innings.

Lord gave up two runs in four innings -- a two-run homer by Francisco Alvarez accounted for all the damage -- in Saturday's 2-0 defeat to the New York Mets.

"I was hoping to locate some sliders down and away; unfortunately left one up and in right to his bat path," Lord said.

In fairness, it has not helped Lord that the Nationals have scored a total of four runs over his last three starts.

Lord made one relief appearance against Philadelphia early this season before joining the rotation. He faced three batters in that contest and allowed two walks and a hit.

Walker is 2-1 with a 3.76 ERA in seven career starts against Washington. The Nationals player with the most experience against Walker is Bell, who is 4-for-15 with a double, a homer, three walks and a .922 OPS against him.

--Field Level Media