Flash Gets Flushed In Phils Loss To Nats

The Phillies had all the pomp and circumstance of any Opening Day, but things went badly once the bullpen took over.

It all started so well.

Brett Myers set down the Washington Nationals in order in the top of the first and Jimmy Rollins quickly roped a double to start the bottom of the inning. Yeah, it was all textbook, as Shane Victorino bunted Rollins over to third and Chase Utley drove him home with a sacrifice fly to put the Phillies up 1-0. The Phillies would go up 2-0 with a run in the bottom of the fourth before the Nationals started to do some damage.

Two singles and a hit batter loaded the bases for the Nationals in the top of the fifth. From there, a sacrifice fly drove home the Nationals first run and Brett Myers then walked Nick Johnson to load the bases for Austin Kearns. Kearns delivered a double to score two runs and Paul LoDuca followed with a groundball to Rollins, who booted the ball, allowing another run to score as the Phillies found themselves down 4-2. From there, Myers got Rafael Belliard to end the inning, but the Phillies were quickly in trouble. Things worsened the next inning when Ryan Madson relieved Myers and gave up a two-out infield single to Cristian Guzman and then served up a home run ball to Lastings Milledge, who smashed a shot over the left field fence as the Nats found themselves up 6-2.

The Phillies found some life on a solo home run by Chase Utley and later, a two-run shot by Chase Utley that tied the game. In between was an RBI double from Carlos Ruiz.

Perhaps the Phillies were thinking of turning the tables on the Nationals, who won their season opener Sunday night on a ninth inning walk-off home run from Ryan Zimmerman. That chance never came as the Nats put up five runs against Tom Gordon (0-1) in the top of the ninth and Jesus Colome shutdown the Phillies in the bottom of the inning for an 11-6 win.

Both teams will enjoy a day off on Tuesday before playing the first night game of the season at Citizens Bank Park Wednesday night when Cole Hamels takes the start for the Phillies.

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