Clutch Cutch walks off Nats with 3-run HR

PHILADELPHIA -- Andrew McCutchen ran the first few feet, then casually turned his head to look into the Phillies' dugout.

McCutchen had just hit a walk-off three-run home run to right field on Monday night in a 6-5 victory over the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. He pumped his fists and shouted as he rounded first base. He played rock-paper-scissors with third-base coach Dusty Wathan as he rounded third. (McCutchen’s scissors lost to Wathan’s rock.) He tossed his helmet into the air a little more than halfway home and hopped the final few feet before he landed on home plate. Teammates mobbed him.

McCutchen’s blast moved the Phillies to 50-49 and 3 1/2 games behind the Mets (53-45) in the National League East with less than 96 hours remaining before Friday’s 4 p.m. ET Trade Deadline.

It was an important hit in a critical week. Every win for the Phillies could push the front office a little closer to a more impactful trade, while a bad loss (or week) could persuade the organization to grip its prospects a little tighter.

So, yeah, this one felt good.

“This was my first walk-off with the Phillies, so it definitely felt good, especially in that moment,” McCutchen said. “I had an opportunity. Coming through was definitely gratifying for me.”

Jean Segura hit a leadoff double down the right-field line in the ninth to get things going against Nationals closer Brad Hand. J.T. Realmuto struck out swinging, but Bryce Harper walked to put runners on first and second.

Washington catcher Tres Barrera wanted a first-pitch sinker down and away. Hand missed his spot. He elevated the pitch and it ran into the middle of the zone. McCutchen hit the ball hard, which has been his thing the past couple months. After a slow start, McCutchen is batting .283 with 11 homers, 34 RBIs and a .983 OPS since June 1.

“I’m always prepared and ready for a fastball,” McCutchen said. “He threw it right where I could hit it.”

It was the 11th walk-off hit and the eighth walk-off homer of McCutchen’s career. It was his first walk-off hit since April 10, 2018, when he played with the Giants.

How the Phillies got McCutchen to that moment is almost as impressive as the homer. Philadelphia right-hander Spencer Howard retired eight of the nine batters he faced through three scoreless innings, but he allowed five hits to the only six batters he faced in the fourth. He left the game because a callus over a blister on his right middle finger tore away as he pitched.

That probably affected Howard's velocity. His four-seam fastball averaged 94.4 mph in the first inning, 94.6 mph in the second, 91.9 mph in the third and 91.7 mph in the fourth.

“It’s frustrating,” Howard said. “I’ll take my victories where I can get them. The first three innings, I felt pretty good. I’ll just try to roll with that and keep building on it.”

Howard said he expects to make his next start Saturday, but his early exit only reinforced the Phillies’ serious starting pitching issues as the Trade Deadline looms.

Right-hander Zach Eflin will miss at least three starts because of tendinitis in his right knee. Left-hander Matt Moore is 0-2 with a 5.79 ERA in 14 appearances (eight starts). He has a 4.56 ERA in his past five starts, but he has pitched five or more innings only three times. Moore will start Tuesday. Right-hander Vince Velasquez has a 10.91 ERA in four starts this month, a 7.74 ERA in 10 starts since May 25 and a 7.15 ERA this season against every team other than the Marlins. He has pitched five or more innings in just eight of his 16 starts. Velasquez is scheduled to start Thursday.

The Phils got through the fourth trailing 4-0. Manager Joe Girardi then deployed his best relievers in the hopes they could crawl back into the game.

“I didn’t think it was out of reach,” Girardi said. “Four runs is different than 10 runs.”

Connor Brogdon and José Alvarado each pitched a scoreless inning, although Alvarado’s sixth proved to be an adventure as he walked the bases loaded. Héctor Neris pitched two scoreless.

It was Rhys Hoskins’ three-run homer in the sixth that gave the Phillies hope, making it 4-3.

“We’re a resilient club,” McCutchen said. “We know what we’re capable of doing. It doesn’t matter what the score is. It doesn’t matter what inning. We know if we keep it close, we have an opportunity to win the ballgame. We never felt like we were out of it.”

McCutchen mentioned it was his first walk-off hit with the Phillies. He hit his first walk-off hit and homer against Phils closer Brad Lidge on Aug. 25, 2009, at PNC Park. McCutchen was a rookie with the Pirates.

“They’re all important,” McCutchen said. “Regardless of when you hit them. They’re all important, because it’s a win at the end of the day.”