Your 2011 NL East Phillies are 0-3 when playing meaningless baseball.
Ryan Zimmerman’s pinch-hit single in the top of the 10th drove in the winning run on Michael Stutes to give the Nationals a 4-3 lead and win.
The result took away from an impressive start from Kyle Kendrick, who may just take Vance Worley’s spot in the rotation if they move Worley to the bull pen to prepare him for the post season.
Kendrick pitched six shut out innings, allowing only four hits while striking out four. His outing was matched by Nats starter Tom Milone, who also pitched six scoreless innings with four hits and two strike outs.
Both teams struggled to score through the first six. That was until the Nationals Roger Bernadina got to Phillies reliever Michael Schwimer. Bernadina hit a three-run off Schwimer to break the scoreless tie and give the Nationals a 3-0 lead.
But the Phillies fired right back in the bottom half of the 7th. With the first two runners reaching base, Raul Ibanez came in to pinch hit. Ibanez hit a three-run blast to tie the game up at 3-3.
It was the first pinch hit for Ibanez since 2001.
The game also featured a handful of debuts. Catcher Erik Kratz made his season debut, getting the start behind the plate. He made a handful of nice defensive plays that included a barehanded catch on a tipped third strike in the 1st and a diving tag at the plate in the 7th.
Kratz’s debut at the plate was rather weak, going 0-for-4 with a strike out in his first four AB’s. But he redeemed himself nicely with a lead-off double in the bottom of the 10th with the team down 4-3. Unfortunately for Kratz, the Phils wasted his double and failed to tie the game.
Pitcher-turned-first baseman-turned-pitcher Joe Savery also made his Major League debut in the 8th. Savery faced two batters, giving up a hit and recording an out on a sacrifice bunt in 1/3 of an inning.
2B: Kratz (1). HR: Ibanez (20).
WP: Gorzelanny (4-6). LP: Stutes (6-2). S: Storen ().
TTB 