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Harper makes Phillies pay in 4-1 win for Nationals

WASHINGTON - Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg walked to the mound Sunday afternoon and the door to the team's bullpen swung open. The manager had decided to attack Washington's Bryce Harper, instead of intentionally walking him in the seventh inning with two outs and a runner on third. Two pitches later, a 4-1 loss at Nationals Park was sealed.

Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper (34) scores a run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the seventh inning at Nationals Park. The Washington Nationals won 4-1. (Brad Mills/USA Today)
Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper (34) scores a run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the seventh inning at Nationals Park. The Washington Nationals won 4-1. (Brad Mills/USA Today)Read more

WASHINGTON - Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg walked to the mound Sunday afternoon and the door to the team's bullpen swung open. The manager had decided to attack Washington's Bryce Harper, instead of intentionally walking him in the seventh inning with two outs and a runner on third. Two pitches later, a 4-1 loss at Nationals Park was sealed.

Sandberg inserted Jake Diekman to face Harper. Diekman, the team's top lefthanded reliever, had enjoyed success against the lefthanded Harper, limiting him to one hit in eight at-bats. Those results did not guarantee success.

Harper sliced a single to left field, driving home his second run of the game. It was the seventh straight inherited runner that Diekman has allowed to score this season. Harper's single raised his May batting average to .386. He went 2 for 3 with two RBIs on Sunday. The engine to Washington's powerful offense has driven in eight runs in 10 games this season against the Phillies.

Diekman limited lefthanded batters to a .239 average last season. Harper's hit raised this season's mark to .360. Sandberg said there were some thoughts about leaving in Justin De Fratus and walking Harper, which would have brought up Ryan Zimmerman in a righty-vs.-righty situation. Zimmerman is batting .217 this season against righthanders. The manager instead tried his luck with Diekman against one of the league's hottest hitters.

"He has things to work on to be more consistent and to be more of the dominant type of guy that he was last year," Sandberg said. "Coming in and really getting after it and making it tough. Lefthanded hitters should not be comfortable off of him with his stuff when he makes his pitches."

Diekman remained in the game to face Zimmerman, who drove in Washington's fourth run on a double to right-center. Zimmerman is batting .333 this season against lefthanders. Diekman has allowed runs in four of his last five outings. Sandberg said he is the still the team's late-inning lefthanded reliever.

Diekman said his manager's faith "means a lot."

"You either pitch through it or you're just going to sit," Diekman said. "It shows that he has a lot of confidence in me, which is good. I have a lot of confidence in myself. I just feel like balls are finding holes right now."

The loss erased the chance for the Phillies to win their first road series since last September. They are 0-9-1 in their last 10 road series. The Phillies scored their lone run on Jeff Francoeur's two-out single in the fourth.

The Phillies seemed set to rally in the seventh. Odubel Herrera singled with one out. Cameron Rupp followed with a drive to right. But Herrera misjudged it. He waited too long to see if the ball would drop in front of Harper, who threw Herrera out at second.

The threat was short-lived. It spoiled a chance for Aaron Harang to earn a win. The pitcher yielded two runs, struck out two batters, walked two, and allowed seven hits over six innings. Harang pitched his way out of trouble, stranding eight Washington runners. He has allowed two earned runs over his last 20 innings.

"It's tough," Harang said. "We know every time we come in here that it's going to be a battle."

@matt_breen