Velasquez chills, Phils cool off Nats
WASHINGTON » Vince Velasquez got back on track against one of baseball’s best lineups.
Velasquez pitched five effective innings, Rhys Hoskins hit a tworun homer and the Phillies snapped Washington’s six-game win streak with a 3-1 victory over the Nationals Saturday.
Velasquez (2-4) yielded one run and one hit in his first win since April 7. He had dropped his last three starts, allowing 13 runs and 18 hits in 14⅔ innings.
“We wanted to get him out of there feeling really good about himself,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “He did a great job. One of the things I noticed about Vinny today was a little bit calmer demeanor. He’s a pretty hyped-up guy.”
Velasquez didn’t allow a hit until Wilmer Difo’s homer in the fifth. The right-hander struck out four, walked four and hit a batter.
“Right from the get go, I felt I was in control all the way,” Velasquez said. “I keep mentioning slowing the game down, and right off the bat that’s what I felt.”
Edubray Ramos, Tommy Hunter, Luis Garcia and Hector Neris then combined for four innings of onehit relief. Neris earned his sixth save.
Trea Turner led off the Washington ninth with a walk and was running when Matt Wieters popped out to short right field. Turner, who slid into second, lost track of the ball and was easily doubled off first.
“Usually I hear the ball off the bat,” Turner said. “So a lot of times I’ll look up, but I didn’t hear it that time.”
Washington third baseman Anthony Rendon went 0 for 2 with two walks after missing 19 games with what the team called a contusion to his toe.
“I felt good up there,” said Rendon, who avoided answering questions about his injury or rehab. “Velasquez was moving the ball in and around the zone pretty well . ... Just couldn’t string any hits together.”
Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark (2-3) tied his season high with nine strikeouts in 6⅓ innings. He was charged with three runs and six hits.
Andrew Stevenson had Washington’s other hit, a one-out single in the sixth. Pedro Severino followed with a walk, but Ramos induced a doubleplay grounder from Rafael Bautista.
Cesar Hernandez opened the game with a single and Hoskins homered to center on a 3-2 pitch.
Maikel Franco provided an insurance run when he followed Carlos Santana’s one-out triple with a single in the sixth.
THINGS YOU DON’T SEE EVERY DAY
When reporters entered the Nationals clubhouse before the game an eight-piece Mariachi band was performing in honor of Cinco de Mayo.
“Little fun for the boys, and myself actually,” manager Dave Martinez said. “I love music.”
MAGIC FORMULA
Hoskins homered and walked the same game for the 12th time his career. The Phillies are 11-1 those games.
“He seemed to have more Rhys Hoskins at-bats
in in in
traditional today with deeper counts, longer big home run,” Kapler said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
at bats, PHILLIES » RHP Ben Lively (lower back strain) threw 20 pitches in a bullpen session. Lively was placed on the disabled list April 27 . ... Kapler said RHP Pat Neshek (shoulder strain) will throw a bullpen session as the next step in his rehabilitation. Neshek has not appeared in a game this season. NATIONALS » 1B Ryan Zimmerman was scratched due to stiffness in his side, according to Martinez . ... RHP Trevor Gott, who sprained an ankle in the sixth inning Friday night, is day to day.