WASHINGTON -AP- Jayson Werth hit a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning, helping the Washington Nationals rally past thePhiladelphia Phillies 5-4 on Sunday for a three-game sweep.
The Nationals (39-24) improved to a season-best 15 games over .500. It was the second three-game sweep of Philadelphia in two weeks for Washington, which has won 10 of its last 13.
The Phillies (29-34) fell to a season-high five games under .500 and have lost 17 of their last 22 games.
 
Werth's two-run single lifts Nationals over Phillies 5-4
 
Philadelphia closer Jeanmar Gomez (2-2) loaded the bases by surrendering one-out singles to pinch hitter Bryce Harper andDanny Espinosa and a two-out walk to pinch hitter Clint Robinson. Werth then singled to center to bring home Harper and Espinosa.
Jonathan Papelbon (1-2) earned the victory despite giving up a home run to former teammate Maikel Franco to lead off the ninth inning. The Nationals acquired Papelbon from Philadelphia last year.
The Nationals staked right-hander Joe Ross to a 3-0 lead with back-to-back sacrifice flies in the first inning and Espinosa's 11th home run to lead off the second. But that was all they would muster against Phillies left-hander Adam Morgan, who had lost five consecutive starts and struggled early with his control.
Morgan, who struck out a career-high eight, allowed only three baserunners after Espinosa's homer and lasted 6 2/3 innings -- his longest outing since May 10. Morgan threw 17 balls in the first inning and 20 afterward.
The Phillies, who scored only one run over 14 2/3 innings against Ross in his two previous starts against them, tied it with Cody Asche's first homer of the year in the fifth and two more runs in the sixth.
 

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