Looking to avoid a three-game sweep by the Phillies, the Washington Nationals spotted their starter Ross Detwiler a 3-0 lead in the third inning on Thursday night. The evening marked the return of Jayson Werth who's hitting in the six-hole for Davey Johnson. Werth went out in the first week of May, breaking his wrist on a diving catch against these same Phillies. Werth immediately stepped into the box and got a single off Cole Hamels in his first at-bat. In his second trip to the plate, he picked up an RBI on a groundout to the right side that scored Michael Morse for the third run of the evening.
Aside from Werth, it was Adam LaRoche who did the early damage against Hamels. LaRoche led off the second inning with a solo homer to right to break the scoreless tie. One inning later, he singled back up the middle to score Ryan Zimmerman and put Morse on third for Werth's at-bat.
Detwiler has settled in with the lead. The Phillies put together a threat in the top of the second but John Mayberry, Jr. was thrown out at the plate by Bryce Harper. Since the Nats took the 3-0 lead, Detwiler has thrown two quick perfect innings.
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