WASHINGTON -- The comeback Phils have done it again.
Down to their last strike with two outs and a man on, pinch-hitter -- and former National -- Derek Hill crushed an offering from Richard Lovelady out of the park in the top of the ninth inning to lift the Phillies to their second last-minute comeback in as many nights against the Nationals, 5-4, on Wednesday night.
Trailing by one run, pinch-hitter Kyle Schwarber -- who was scratched for a second straight game with lower back tightness -- drew a walk with two outs against reliever Orlando Ribalta.
It was the second ninth-inning rally for the Phillies, who had turned an 8-5 deficit into a 14-9 win on Tuesday by scoring eight runs in the ninth.
“Got 1-2, we work it to 3-2,” Schwarber said. “That's the count where it's like, 'OK, where are we going to go from here?' He makes a good pitch that way, fastball, I was able to foul it off. He hung a slider, just missed that one, pulled it foul. Threw another good slider and got to first base on the changeup and then D. Hill with [the homer]. Pretty cool two-game sequence that we had.”
Hill, who played 13 games for the Nationals in 2023, followed it up by launching his fifth homer of the season, a Statcast-projected 382 feet into the right-center-field stands.
"Obviously, really nice to see that,” said interim manager Don Mattingly. “It's been a couple of crazy nights here in the ninth for us. He's been working. When we acquired him I knew he would play all three outfield spots, hit left-handed pitching. He's actually been OK with the righties too. He's got his hits when we are able to leave him in there. It's really good to see that.”
Closer Jhoan Duran pitched a scoreless ninth, striking out the side, for his 19th save.
The Phillies will remember wins Nos. 43 and 44 in 2026 for a while. After trailing in the ninth inning, 8-6, on Tuesday and 4-3 on Wednesday, finding a way to win both games seems to carry a bigger impact.
"I think they're important,” Mattingly said. “All wins are important and as you build momentum especially when you're able to come from down. It's not me letting them know, it's them understanding this game is never over.”
Despite allowing a couple homers early, right-handed starter Aaron Nola settled down to keep the Phillies in it until he departed after five with a 3-2 lead. It was his fifth straight no-decision. He struck out five, including four with his knuckle-curve.
How important can a pair ninth-inning comeback wins in late June be, and can they help the Phillies build back the confidence they have had for so many seasons?
"Heck yeah, man, especially in the ninth inning right there, against a Nats team that's been playing pretty well,” Nola said. “Especially something like last night. I don't think I've ever been a part of anything like that before, that was pretty special. Something you don't ever really see that much in baseball to have something kind of like that in back to back nights is pretty amazing."
First baseman Alec Bohm fouled a pitch off the instep of his left foot in the fourth but remained in the game and came around to score the Phils' second run, though he limped some while running the bases. Mattingly said Bohm will go in for an X-ray just to be sure there is not a break.