Washington Nationals stay undefeated in spring training, tie Phillies

· Yahoo Sports

The Washington Nationals can still say they are undefeated through four games, though Monday ended differently compared to the first three games.

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The Nationals and Phillies tied Monday's game at five after two runs in the seventh and eighth got the Nationals even, moving to 3-0-1 in spring training.

Jake Irvin drew the start and tossed the game's first two innings where he posted two walks, two strikeouts and one hit allowed in his first appearance of spring training. Brad Lord would pitch the next two innings, allowing both a hit and run while tossing one strikeout and one walk.

The Nationals once again opened the scoring after Dylan Crews opened the Nationals' order with a walk before Drew Millas doubled into right field two at bats later, bringing Crews home for the game's first run.

The Phillies would answer in the top of the third after a grounder to Brad Lord, who replaced Irvin, fumbling the throw to first to keep Otto Kemp safe at first and send Edmundo Sosa home for the game's tying run. 

After scoreless fourth and fifth innings, the Phillies would break the game open in the top of the sixth after Andre Granillo replaced Julian Fernandez, but fizzled after allowing a single before a second throwing error, this time by Kevin Made, put two base runners on. A subsequent walk would load the bases before a fielder's choice broke the deadlock. Then a third error, this one by Matt Mervis, loaded the bases yet again to set up a three-run double as the Nationals went into the bottom of the sixth facing a 5-1 deficit.

Washington would threaten after Trey Lipscomb opened the bottom of the seventh with a double before Mervis walked, then both stole third and second to give a pair of runners in scoring position for Kevin Meade. He'd drive in only one, though, after grounding out to the shortstop before Samuel Petersen did the same in the next at-bat, making it a 5-3 deficit heading into the eighth.

The Nationals would get runners on second and third with no outs again in the eighth inning before Matt Mervis capitalized with a ground rule double to tie the game at five through eight innings.

Washington reliever Owen Puk got out of a two out situation with runners on the corners before Petersen got on base with a walk then into scoring position with two outs, but Sergio Alcantara would end the game on a fly out.

The Nationals will return to action on Tuesday night in the second matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals in spring training with first pitch set for 6:05 PM and  audio to be available on 106.7 The Fan.

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