Hoskins’ homer helps Phils end Nats’ streak
WASHINGTON » Rhys Hoskins hit a tworun homer, Vince Velasquez pitched five effective innings and the Phillies snapped Washington’s six-game win streak with a 3-1 victory over the Nationals on Saturday.
Velasquez (2-4) allowed one run and one hit in his first win since April 7. He also struck out four, walked four and hit a batter.
Edubray Ramos, Tommy Hunter, Luis Garcia and Hector Neris then combined for four innings of one-hit 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.
Wilmer Difo homered for 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.
Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark (2-3) tied his season high with nine strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. He was charged with three runs and six hits.
Andrew Stevenson accounted for Washington’s other hit, a one-out single in the sixth. Pedro Severino followed with a walk, but Ramos induced a double-play grounder from Rafael Bautista.
Cesar Hernandez opened the game with a single off Roark and Hoskins homered to center on a 3-2 pitch. It was his fifth of the season.
Maikel Franco provided an insurance run when he followed Carlos Santana’s one-out triple with a single in the sixth.
Runners