WASHINGTON -- The Phillies rallied back from a pair of five-run deficits in posting one of their best wins of the season Friday night.
They beat the NL East-leading Washington Nationals, 9-8, in 11 innings.
The Phils rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game at 7-7. All the runs came on a pair of home runs by Carlos Ruiz and Ben Revere against Washington closer Rafael Soriano. Ruiz’s homer was a two-run shot with no outs. Revere tied the game with two outs in the ninth on his second homer in 1,816 career at-bats.
The Phillies scored the tie-breaking run in the 11th when rookie Maikel Franco’s fielder’s choice ground ball scored Domonic Brown from third. The run was unearned after Brown reached base on a two-base error by Nationals leftfielder Bryce Harper.
Revere drove home Franco with an insurance run later in the inning. The run proved important as Washington rallied for a run in the bottom of the 11th.
The Phillies trailed 5-0 after five innings and 7-2 after seven innings.
The Phillies have won 11 of their last 16 games.
Starting pitching report
Jerome Williams’ string of strong starts came to an end. In his fifth start with the Phillies, Williams was tagged for nine hits and five runs (four earned) over five innings. Williams had given up just six earned runs over 26 2/3 innings in his first four starts with the Phillies. He was claimed off waivers from Texas a month ago.
Power-armed Washington right-hander Stephen Strasburg held the Phillies to four hits and a run over six innings. He walked none and struck out five.
Strasburg made five starts against the Phillies this season. He held the Phillies to five runs in 31 2/3 innings (1.42) in those starts, struck out 40 and walked just four.
Bullpen report
Mike Adams made his first appearance since June 6, the day before going on the disabled list with continued shoulder problems. Adams retired none of the three batters he faced in the seventh and allowed two runs. The damage could have been worse if Brown hadn't cut down Jayson Werth at the plate as he tried to score on a fly ball.
Luis Garcia, Justin De Fratus, Cesar Jimenez, Ken Giles and Jake Diekman all pitched a scoreless inning for the Phillies. Jonathan Papelbon allowed a run in the 11th, but held on for his 34th save. He got the final out with the tying run on second. Diekman got the win.
Washington closer Soriano blew the save. He allowed two home runs in the ninth as the Phillies tied the game on three runs.
Craig Stammen was the losing pitcher.
At the plate
Revere got the Phillies on the board with an RBI double in the sixth. His three-hit game left him at .316 for the season. He entered the day leading the NL in hitting.
Ruiz belted a two-run homer in the ninth to make it a one-run game.
Ryan Howard hit his 21st home run of the season in the seventh inning. He drove in a run with an infield hit in the eighth. Howard is up to 89 RBIs, fourth-most in the NL.
Chase Utley snapped an 0-for-11 skid with a pair of hits.
Adam LaRoche smacked a two-run home run for the Nationals with two outs in the bottom of the first inning against Williams.
Anthony Rendon pushed the Nats' lead to 5-0 with a two-run double against Williams in the fifth.
Notes
Utley could be in for some more rest. Mario Hollands is relieved (see story).
Up next
A.J. Burnett (7-15, 4.40) pitches against Tanner Roark (12-9, 2.91) on Saturday. First pitch is 4:05 p.m.