Major League Baseball

Phillies snap 6-game skid, defeat Nationals 5-3

Published Apr. 18, 2015 4:17 p.m. ET

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WASHINGTON (AP) Runs have been hard to come by this week for the Philadelphia Phillies.

They got a big one courtesy Saturday of Ben Revere's speed.

Odubel Herrera had three hits and scored twice to back Aaron Harang, and the Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 5-3 Saturday to stop a six-game losing streak.

With the score 3-all in the seventh, Ryan Howard walked, Revere pinch ran and went home without the benefit of a hit.

''He got three bags on his speed,'' manager Ryne Sandberg said. ''That was huge.''

With Cameron Rupp facing Washington starter Jordan Zimmermann, Revere stole second.

''Everybody in the whole stadium knows I'm about to steal, so that's big,'' Revere said.

He sped to third when Rupp flied to Bryce Harper in right. With the infield in, pinch-hitter Grady Sizemore hit a hard bouncer to first and Revere, running on contact, beat Ryan Zimmerman's throw to the plate.

''Grady smoked that thing,'' Revere said. ''I thought he lined out for a second and I kind of hesitated.''

Freddy Galvis had two RBI singles for Philadelphia, which had scored 13 runs over its prior six games.

Harang (2-1) gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings, and Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his third save.

Harper hit a long home run for Washington, which had won three straight. Ian Desmond added three hits, but the shortstop continued to struggle in the field, committing an error and later dropping the ball while attempting to complete a double play in the same inning.

Zimmermann (1-2) allowed four runs - two earned - four hits and four walks in 6 1-3 innings.

''I was just trying to be too fine and then I ended up missing and falling behind,'' he said. ''Then I would really make a mistake, and miss badly.''

Harper tied it at 3 with his fourth homer, a fifth-inning drive that hit the top of the green wall well beyond the center-field fence.

Desmond's latest defensive troubles enabled the Phillies to take a 2-1 lead in the third. He bobbled Harang's one-out bouncer, and when Harang was ruled safe after a video review, Desmond had his eighth error in 12 games.

After Herrera's double, Galvis' single scored Harang and sent Herrera to third. Chase Utley then hit a potential inning-ending, double-play grounder to Dan Uggla, but Desmond, attempting to transfer the ball to his throwing hand for the relay, dropped it. Galvis was out at second, but Utley was safe at first and Herrera scored.

''Brutal,'' Desmond said of the drop.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Phillies: OF Domonic Brown (left Achilles tendinitis) continued his rehab, playing for Triple-A Lehigh Valley against Buffalo.

Nationals: SS Yunel Escobar, who left Friday night's game with a strained groin, was scheduled to have an MRI. ... OF Denard Span (core muscle surgery) worked out at Nationals Park and could be activated on Sunday.

SCARY MOMENT

Plate umpire Brian Knight left the game in the ninth after taking a fastball from Washington's Blake Treinen off his facemask. The game was delayed for 12 minutes while second base umpire Larry Vanover changed and took over plate duties.

ROB ME, ROB YOU

With runners on first and second and two outs in the seventh inning, Zimmerman made a diving stop to take a hit away from Utley. In the bottom of the seventh, with Washington runners on first and second, Utley returned the favor, taking a hit away from Zimmerman.

UP NEXT

Phillies: David Buchanan (0-2, 11.42) makes his second career start against the Nationals. He allowed seven runs and 10 hits in six innings in a loss at Philadelphia last June.

Nationals: Stephen Strasburg (0-1, 6.75) tries to get his 2015 season on track. Last time out, he allowed five earned runs and 10 hits over 5 1-3 innings of a no-decision at Boston.

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