Soto’s 2-run HR completes rally as Nats stop Phillies

Juan Soto hit the go-ahead two-home run with two outs in the ninth inning Saturday night for the visiting Washington Nationals, who remained red hot with a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Nationals have won the first two games of the three-game series and 12 of 14 overall since June 25. The Phillies have lost five of their last seven games.

Phillies closer Hector Neris (1-4), who got out of a bases-loaded jam to end the eighth and preserve a 3-2 lead, was one out away from earning his 18th save when he gave up a single to Anthony Rendon. Soto hit Neris' next pitch over the fence in left-center field to complete the comeback for the Nationals, who trailed 3-0 after four innings. The rally made a winner out of Wander Suero (2-4), who got the final two outs of the eighth. Sean Doolittle worked around a one-out single by Maikel Franco in the ninth to record his 20th save.

The blown save by Neris negated a strong outing by Phillies ace Aaron Nola, who was in line for the win after allowing one run on five hits and four walks while striking out nine over six innings. The Phillies took a 2-0 lead in the second when Cesar Hernandez laced an RBI double with one out, then Franco hit a solo homer with two outs. Franco delivered a sacrifice fly in the fourth to extend the lead to 3-0.

The Nationals got to Nola in the sixth, when Victor Robles' two-out RBI single scored Ryan Zimmerman. Washington almost tied the score in the eighth, when Soto singled with one out and went to third on Zimmerman's two-out single. Soto raced home when Franco misplayed Robles' grounder to third. Neris entered and walked Howie Kendrick to load the bases before retiring Kurt Suzuki on a grounder to second. Nationals starter Patrick Corbin allowed three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out 10 over six innings. 

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