Harper's 2 HRs help Phils top Nats 12-3, push champs to edge

WASHINGTON (AP) — Given a chance to DH so he could ease the burden on his bothersome back, Bryce Harper homered twice against his former team, helping the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 12-3 Wednesday night and pushing the 2019 World Series champions to the brink of elimination from the playoff race.

The loss ended Washington’s modest — albeit season-best — four-game winning streak and left its record at 23-33.

A victory by Milwaukee, San Francisco or St. Louis later Wednesday would rule out a postseason return for the Nationals.

The Phillies are 28-29 and third in the NL East but still in the chase for a playoff berth.

Harper, who left the nation’s capital for a $330 million contract with the team up I-95 before last season, connected off Erick Fedde twice to reach 13 homers for the year — on a 94 mph sinker in the first inning and a 77 mph curveball in the sixth to make it 3-1.

Harper was walked intentionally in his other three plate appearances.

Zach Eflin (4-2) earned the win by giving up three runs in eight-plus innings.

Fedde (2-4) allowed three runs in seven innings. Philadelphia went up 12-1 by tacking on three in the eighth against Kyle McGowin, including Andrew McCutchen’s solo homer, and another six in the ninth on three-run shots by Didi Gregorius and Andrew Knapp off Ryne Harper.

Until Wednesday, Harper — usually an outfielder — was hitting just .143 in nine games against Washington this season, with zero extra-base hits, one RBI and 14 strikeouts.

Manager Joe Girardi said Harper’s back has been bothering him off and on for about four or five weeks.

“There’s been better days than other days,” Girardi said, explaining that he thinks Harper can heal with rest.

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source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Harper-s-2-HRs-help-Phils-top-Nats-12-3-push-15592686.php