Harper homers, Phillies beat Nats 7-4 for 4th straight win

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bryce Harper homered in the first inning and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 7-4 Monday night, stretching their winning streak to four games.

Brad Miller also went deep and Ronald Torreyes added a bases-loaded triple for Philadelphia, which improved to 7-1 at Nationals Park this season. The Phillies moved within three games of Cincinnati for the NL’s second wild card berth.

Carter Kieboom homered for Washington, which has dropped three in a row, five of its last six and 19 of 25.

Harper, who signed a $330 million, 13-year contract with Philadelphia in 2019 after playing his first seven seasons with the Nationals, was booed — as he usually is — in Washington. The sparse crowd was even more frustrated when he golfed Josiah Gray’s curveball into the Nationals’ bullpen for his 26th homer, giving the Phillies a lead they never relinquished.

It was Harper’s 10th home run in August.

“What he’s done for this club has been absolutely incredible,” Phillies manager Joe Girardi said. “He has that ability all the time. That’s how good of a player he is. He’s one of those guys you don’t necessarily go and get a soda or a hot dog when he comes up to hit. You kind of stay in your chair and wait to see the at bat.”

Harper, who went 2 for 5, is hitting .404 (23 for 57) with seven homers and 12 RBIs in 16 games against Washington this season. His homer was the 100th of his career at Nationals Park, the second most in the ballpark’s history behind former teammate Ryan Zimmerman (115).

“I like hitting here --- I always have,” Harper said. “I see the ball really well here. I love the ballpark. I feel really good in this ballpark and in the batter’s box as well. Every time I get in there, I feel...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Harper-homers-Phillies-beat-Nats-7-4-for-4th-16424161.php