The way Odubel Herrera is going Justin Blackmon Jersey , he might have to make an extra trip to Washington next month.
Herrera homered for the fifth straight game and finished with four hits, helping the Philadelphia Phillies rout the Nationals 12-2 on Friday night.
Herrera hit a tiebreaking two-run shot in the third for his 13th homer, matching the club record for consecutive games with a long ball. He has connected in six of his last seven overall.
The All-Star Game is at Nationals Park on July 17, and Herrera is putting together a solid case for a spot on the NL squad.
”I’m playing hard, giving my best, so if it happens it’ll be great,” he said via an interpreter. ”That’s what you work for.”
Herrera is hitting .472 (17 for 36) with six homers, 11 runs and 10 RBIs in his last eight games. His season batting average is up to .308.
”I don’t think there’s any words for it. I mean it’s simply incredible what he can do,” Phillies pitcher Zach Eflin said.
”The thing with Odubel is that he can shake off anything at any given time. … It can look like he’s struggling and then next pitch he hits it 440 feet.”
Carlos Santana homered and drove in four runs for Philadelphia. Andrew Knapp also connected and Nick Williams drove in three runs.
The Phillies had 15 hits in their fifth win in six games. They also moved ahead of Washington for second place in the NL East behind Atlanta.
”To me, today was the first game where we really got blown out. That was a blowout right there,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. ”We’ve just got to keep our heads up Brandon Linder Jersey , guys go home and rest, come back tomorrow and do it again.”
Eflin (5-2) allowed baserunners in every inning except the first but limited the damage to two runs over five innings in his fourth straight win.
Washington’s Tanner Roark (3-8) gave up six runs in 4 1/3 innings, and the Nationals needed four relievers to finish the game.
”The last two starts I’ve left the bullpen out to dry,” Roark said, ”and I’m just not happy about it.”
The Nationals have dropped eight of 11, including the completion of a suspended game. They are in third place this late in the season for the first time since 2013.
Michael A. Taylor extended his hitting streak to 13 games and drove in Washington’s first run when he capped an 11-pitch at-bat with a double in the second.
HARPER DERBY BOUND
On Friday afternoon the Nationals tweeted: ”tfw Bryce announces he’ll do the (at)MLB HR Derby if he makes the NL All-Star team…” accompanied by a GIF of Harper celebrating in the dugout.
RECORD HOLDERS
Chase Utley (twice in 2008), Bobby Abreu (2005), Mike Schmidt (1979) and Dick Allen (1969) also homered in five straight games for the Phillies. Ken Griffey, Jr. (1993), Don Mattingly (1987) and Dale Long (1956) share the major league record with homers in eight consecutive games.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: RHP Jerad Eickhoff (right lat strain) threw his curveball off flat ground and will throw the pitch again during a bullpen session on Saturday. . RHP Pat Neshek (right shoulder strain) will begin a rehab assignment at Class A Clearwater on Saturday. … RHP Luis Garcia (right wrist strain) played catch on flat ground Friday.
Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (right shoulder inflammation) played catch on flat ground for the second time this week Friday. … RHP Jeremy Hellickson (right hamstring strain) will make a rehab start for Class A Potomac on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Philadelphia RHP Aaron Nola (8-2, 2.55 ERA) opposes RHP Erick Fedde (0-2 Jalen Ramsey Jersey , 5.63 ERA). Nola (seventh overall) and Fedde (18th overall) were both selected in the first round of the 2014 draft.
Jesse Winker hit his first career game-ending homer against the Rockies on June 7 and got a pair of Carlos Gonzalez’s white batting gloves during the series as a keepsake. He wore them for another career breakthrough on Thursday night.
Winker hit his first major league grand slam during a big sixth-inning rally, putting Matt Harvey in line for his second win for the Cincinnati Reds, 6-2 over the Chicago Cubs. The Reds sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six times, matching their biggest inning of the season .
”Guys put together great at-bats in front of me,” Winker said. ”Obviously, you can’t hit a grand slam unless guys get on base.”
Kyle Hendricks (5-7) walked three to set up the two-out rally, including Eugenio Suarez with the bases loaded. Hendricks has equaled his career high with four walks in each of his last two starts.
”That’s not me, giving up walks like that,” Hendricks said. ”Those were the problem there.”
Winker connected on the second pitch from left-hander Randy Rosario, who hadn’t allowed a homer this season. The Reds’ sixth grand slam of the season moved them into a tie with Boston for most in the majors.
Billy Hamilton walked, stole a base Malik Jackson Jersey , scored and singled home the final run during the rally.
Harvey (2-5) went six innings for his first victory since May 22, allowing five hits, including Javier Baez’s two-run double. He’d lost his last three decisions with the Reds, who got him from the Mets for catcher Devin Mesoraco in a deal on May 8.
”He was really good,” interim manager Jim Riggleman said. ”He’s getting better and better.”
Harvey plunked Kris Bryant on the left hand and Anthony Rizzo on the left shin in the third inning, but both remained in the game. Baez’s two-run double was his fourth extra-base hit in the last two games.
Amir Garrett relieved and fanned Rizzo on three pitches to end a bases-loaded threat in the seventh. Jared Hughes pitched out of a two-on jam in the eighth and finished for his fifth save.
The Reds have won four straight, their second-best streak of the season. They took six in a row from May 8-13.
ROSTER MOVES
The Reds put outfielder Scott Schebler on the bereavement list, optioned struggling left-handed reliever Wandy Peralta to Triple-A Louisville, and called up outfielder Phillip Ervin and left-hander Kyle Crockett. They also released catcher Tony Cruz.
ALL EVEN
The Reds’ comeback left the NL Central teams tied 3-3 in their season series. Chicago has gone 43-20 against Cincinnati since 2015, including a 23-11 mark at Great American Ball Park.
EVEN DOZEN
Scooter Gennett gave Hendricks a workout with a 12-pitch at-bat in the first inning before flying out.
VOTT-OH
Joey Votto came into the game 8 for 16 in his career against Hendricks with a pair of homers and 10 walks. He grounded out, struck out and walked.
GETTING TWO
Harvey tried to put down a sacrifice bunt in the fifth Tashaun Gipson Jersey , but catcher Willson Contreras quickly got to the ball and threw to second to start an inning-ending double play.
STATS
Jason Heyward had three singles and a double for his ninth career four-hit game. … The Reds have six grand slams in the last 31 days. The only other teams in NL history with six in 31 days were the 1996 Expos, the 1997 Braves and the 2006 Mets, according to STATS. … Suarez extended his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: Yu Darvish felt good a day after throwing 50 pitches in a simulated game, manager Joe Maddon said. He could begin a rehab assignment soon. Darvish has been sidelined since May 23 because of tendinitis in his right triceps. … Left-handed reliever Brian Duensing could rejoin the team Friday. He’s been on bereavement leave following his grandfather’s death.
UP NEXT
Cubs: Jose Quintana (6-5) started at Great American Ball Park on May 19 and allowed just one hit in seven innings of a 10-0 win. He’s 2-0 in three career starts against the Reds. The left-hander has been much better on the road this season: 2.78 ERA in eight starts compared to a 6.00 ERA in six starts at Wrigley Field.
Reds: Luis Castillo (4-8) has lost his last four starts, allowing 16 earned runs in 20 2/3 innings. One of his best starts came against the Cubs on May 19, when he gave up one run in five innings of a 5-4 victory.
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