Phillies beat Nationals in finale, head to playoffs for third season in row

Field Level Media|published: Sun 29th September, 18:22 2024

MLB: Philadelphia Phillies at Washington Nationals

Sep 29, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (7) stretches to catch a throw as Washington Nationals right fielder Dylan Crews (3) steals second base during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Kyle Schwarber and Weston Wilson each drove in two runs as the Philadelphia Phillies wrapped up their regular season with a 6-3 road victory over the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

Kody Clemens made a game-saving catch in left field to seal the victory for Philadelphia (95-67), which finished with its highest win total since going 102-60 in 2011. The Phillies will head to the playoffs for the third straight season -- this time as the No. 2 seed in the National League -- and will play their postseason opener Saturday at home.

Washington finished 71-91 for the second straight season, marking the club's fourth straight 90-loss-plus campaign. Dylan Crews went 3-for-3 and Luis Garcia Jr. homered in the Nationals' season finale.

In his final tuneup for the postseason, Aaron Nola (14-8) struck out seven without a walk in five innings. He gave up three runs and nine hits, including a liner off his right hip, although he stayed in the game.

The Nationals loaded the bases with nobody out in the ninth against Jose Ruiz, who recovered to strike out the next two batters. Juan Yepez then hooked one to deep left field, where Clemens made a leaping catch while crashing into the wall to secure the victory.

The Phillies took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, although things could have been worse for the Nationals. Philadelphia loaded the bases against Jake Irvin (10-14) with no outs before Bryson Stott and Alec Bohm each knocked in a run on a groundout.

Garcia responded with a leadoff homer against Nola in the bottom of the frame.

Schwarber extended the lead to 4-1 in the fifth with an opposite-field, two-run single. He finished with 104 RBIs, matching his career high from a season ago.

Nick Castellanos started in right field for the Phillies, completing a 162-game season for the first time in his career. He played one inning before giving way to Wilson, who delivered a two-run double in the fifth, shortly after Schwarber's hit.

Washington answered with two runs in the fifth, as Garcia and Yepez each had an RBI single to slice the deficit to 6-3.

Nola gave up a leadoff triple to Crews in the sixth, but Jose Alvarado came in and retired three straight hitters to escape the jam.

--Field Level Media

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