WASHINGTON – Cole Hamels remained winless in two starts since signing his six-year, $144 million contract extension as the Washington Nationals hung a 3-0 defeat on the Phillies on Thursday night.
The Phillies had just three hits, all singles. It was the fifth time this season that they have been shut out.
The Phils ended up winning two of three in the series and finished the six-game trip at 2-4.
Ryan Howard, 2 for 18 with 11 strikeouts in the first five games of the road trip, was held out of the starting lineup against Washington lefty Ross Detwiler. He was called on to pinch-hit with two outs and two men on base in the ninth and struck out on three pitches to end the game.
Starting pitching report
Hamels allowed eight hits and three runs over seven innings, but was not supported by good defense. He walked one and struck out nine. He has lost two straight games and is 11-6 with a 3.34 ERA.
Detwiler (6-4) pitched seven scoreless innings and allowed just three hits. He walked two and struck out three.
Bullpen report
Michael Schwimer pitched a scoreless inning, walked two and struck out two.
Sean Burnett and Tyler Clippard closed out the shutout for Washington. Clippard had his 21st save.
At the plate
Phillies hitters were 1 for 5 with runners in scoring position. They are 1 for 15 the last two games.
Adam LaRoche led off the bottom of the second with a first-pitch homer against Hamels.
Jayson Werth, who broke his wrist against the Phillies in May, returned after nearly three months on the DL. He drove in a run in the third inning.
In the field
Though the Phils were not charged with an error, they did not play stellar defense. Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins both failed to make tough but makeable plays on balls in the third inning that led to two runs. Both plays were ruled hits, but the scoring could have gone either way.
Third baseman Kevin Frandsen made a nice diving catch of a line drive by Michael Morse and rightfielder John Mayberry Jr. gunned down a runner at the plate. Washington rightfielder Bryce Harper also cut down a potential run at the plate.
Up next
The Phils open a three-game series at home against Arizona on Friday night. Here are the pitching matchups:
Friday night – RH Ian Kennedy (9-8, 4.20) vs. RH Joe Blanton (8-9, 4.59)
Saturday night – LH Joe Sanders (5-7, 3.62) vs. RH Roy Halladay (4-6, 4.33)
Sunday afternoon – RH Trevor Cahill (9-9, 3.75) vs. LH Cliff Lee (2-6, 3.73)
