Democracy Dies in Darkness
Nationals

Nationals limp home after 11-5 loss to Phillies extends skid to five

The game got away from the Nats in the fifth inning as they ended their road trip 2-7.

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Nationals left fielder Jesse Winker remains on the field after making a catch during Sunday's loss to the Phillies. (Chris Szagola/AP)
5 min

PHILADELPHIA — The Nationals’ 11-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday afternoon began like any other game Washington has played of late — not much offense, solid work by the starting pitcher and little margin for error — but unraveled into something much worse.

During this nine-game road trip, one or two plays seemed to get away from the Nationals, and that cost them dearly in a bunch of close games. Sunday was different. Among the six pitchers who entered at Citizens Bank Park, only Derek Law’s ERA dropped. Until the ninth inning, they had just three hits. They scored just 25 runs on their 2-7 trip and finished it on the wrong end of a sweep, swallowing their fifth straight loss.