Phils ride historic offense to 5th straight win

WASHINGTON -- Joe Girardi did not dismiss the idea Tuesday afternoon that he cobbled together another unconventional lineup in the middle of a pennant race.

He quickly mentioned that the Phillies still hoped to play J.T. Realmuto at first base, if his left ankle responded favorably to pregame activities. It responded OK, but not well enough to play. So, Girardi stuck with what he had. He hit Freddy Galvis leadoff for the first time since 2019. He hit Jorge Bonifacio, who has six home runs in the big leagues since 2017, fifth. He hit Ronald Torreyes, who has a .594 OPS in August, sixth. He hit rookies Matt Vierling -- starting at first base for the first time in his big league career -- seventh and Rafael Marchan eighth.

The Phillies pounded out 18 hits in a 12-6 victory over the Nationals at Nationals Park. They have won five consecutive games and enter September 2 1/2 games behind the Braves in the National League East with 30 games to play. Philly is also 2 1/2 games behind the Reds and Padres for the second NL Wild Card.

It is a remarkable run, considering the Phillies are playing without Rhys Hoskins, Didi Gregorius and Realmuto. They have scored seven or more runs in six consecutive games for the first time since a seven-game streak from June 19-24, 1933.

“We’ve gotten contributions from everywhere,” Girardi said.

Bryce Harper hit .337 with 11 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 25 RBIs and a 1.231 OPS in August. He could be the Phillies’ first NL Player of the Month since Domonic Brown in May 2013. Harper started the fourth inning by dropping a perfect bunt up the third-base line to beat the shift for a single.

“It’s a really good idea because you’ve got to get something going, right?” Girardi said.

Nationals left-hander Patrick Corbin tried to sneak a 65.3-mph curveball past Andrew McCutchen, but he crushed the pitch into the left-field stands for a two-run home run. It was the slowest pitch McCutchen hit for a home run in his 13-year career.

“All of a sudden you feel like you’re in the game,” Girardi said.

Bonifacio’s infield single with the bases loaded in the fifth cut the Nationals' lead to 5-3. In the sixth, Vierling singled and Marchan hit a two-run homer to left-center field to tie the game. Marchan has homered twice in 49 plate appearances over two seasons in the big leagues. He is homerless in 1,074 plate appearances in his five-year Minor League career.

Can somebody explain that one?

“It’s a great feeling to hit that homer in The Show,” Marchan said. “Everybody wants to hit a couple of homers, but when you’ve never hit one in the Minors and you hit one here, it’s like one of the best feelings in the world, and even more when you tie the game and create that rally to win the game.”

The Phillies kept scoring in the sixth. They loaded the bases and Harper’s single to right scored two runs to give them a 7-5 lead. They scored two more to make it 9-5.

Vierling finished with four hits, hitting the ball hard in all five of his at-bats, with exit velocities of 108.6, 104.5, 102.7, 105.6 and 106.3 mph. He joined the team on Tuesday because Travis Jankowski is on paternity leave. Vierling is an outfielder who initiated the idea last summer to play some infield. He started six games at first base this season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, so he is not completely foreign to the position. But he also isn’t playing there enough to even own a first baseman’s mitt.

He borrowed Hoskins’ on Tuesday.

“It’s pretty exhilarating,” Vierling said. “Knowing where this team is, knowing what this team has a chance to do, being able to step in and carve out a role and just put me in there, I’m thankful enough just to get that opportunity.”

Marchan is, too. Contributions from players like them and Brad Miller -- who swatted a pinch-hit homer in the ninth -- can keep the Phillies in the hunt.

“It’s a big chance,” Marchan said. “We’re ready for what the team needs. Whenever they need us, we’re going to be ready to play the game the right way and help the team.”