The Washington Nationals will try to bounce back from their recent loss Tuesday in the continuation of a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
The Nationals dropped a 5-4 decision in Monday's series opener, as Domonic Brown stroked a game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning against reliever Fernando Abad.
"It was tough. I guess he hit a changeup. He left it a little bit up. That was the ball game," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said.
Brown's winning hit spoiled Chad Tracy's tying home run in the top of the ninth off Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon.
"We're trying to get some games on the Nats. It feels good to come out and get a win, especially after the long road trip," Brown said.
Former Phillie Jayson Werth, Ian Desmond and Steve Lombardozzi had an RBI apiece for Washington, which has lost three of four games and is 3-4 on a nine-game road trip. Nats starter Dan Haren avoided a decision and was reached for four runs and seven hits in six innings.
Ross Detwiler gets the nod for the Nationals, who are one game ahead of Philadelphia for second in the NL East. Detwiler is only 1-4 in his last six trips to the mound and posted a no-decision in last Thursday's 5-4 win at Colorado. He allowed three runs in five innings and is 2-4 in nine starts to go along with a 3.02 earned run average.
Detwiler, a left-hander, is 2-4 with a 4.24 ERA in eight career games (7 starts) against the Phillies.
Philadelphia has won three of four games and opened a six-game homestand in thrilling fashion.
Brown was the hero for his big hit in the ninth inning and Ryan Howard finished with three hits, a home run and two RBI.
"It was big," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said of Brown's hit. "He stayed on the lefty good. We got the right results."
Ben Revere scored the game-winning run and extended his hitting streak to eight games with a 2-for-5 performance.
Cliff Lee will toe the rubber for the Phils Tuesday and looks to keep his unbeaten streak intact. Lee is 6-0 in his last eight starts and hasn't tasted defeat since May 1 at Cleveland. Lee three seven solid innings in last Thursday's 3-2 win against Minnesota and allowed two runs and three hits.
Lee struck out six and has fanned at least that many in four straight outings. The veteran left-hander, who is 8-2 in 14 starts with a 2.55 ERA, will face Washington for a ninth time in his career. Through the first eight starts against the Nationals, Lee is 5-3 with a 2.51 ERA.
Philadelphia won two out of three when these teams met up last month. They split last year's season series, 9-9.
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