WASHINGTON -- The Phillies boarded a train back to Philadelphia late Thursday night. They had just finished a grueling six-game road trip through Atlanta and Washington, which included five losses, two rainouts, one black-eyed Max Scherzer and countless questions -- many old, some new -- about their chances to compete in the National League East.

“We stunk,” Rhys Hoskins said, following Thursday night’s 7-4 loss to the Nationals at Nationals Park. “It’s going to happen. Obviously, some of the ways that those games happened hurts a little more that it’s in-division, but by no means is anybody in this room panicking at all. I don’t even know how far down we are, but I know it’s not that far. We’re in the middle of June -- still have a lot, a lot of baseball to play.”

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Hoskins is the accountable leader in the Phillies’ clubhouse. He cannot speak for everybody, but when times are good or bad, he is a voice that puts everything into perspective. Hoskins knows what everybody watched over the past week and, really, over the past three weeks, during which the Phils have lost 13 of 19 games. The offense has stumbled badly since Andrew McCutchen suffered a season-ending left knee injury on June 3. The pitching staff continues to surrender home runs at a record-setting pace. Philadelphia allowed three homers Thursday, 15 on the road trip and 44 in the 19-game stretch.

The Phillies allowed 171 homers last season, and they are on pace to allow 271 this season. Home runs are up 29 percent across the Majors, but that is a staggering 59 percent increase for Philadelphia.

Everything will be better in time, Hoskins said.

“I see the talent in the room,” he said. “We just haven’t clicked at the same time all year. To be in the position we’re in without that happening is pretty good. We’re excited for when it all does click. I think it’s going to be pretty scary.”

In the meantime, Phillies manager Gabe Kapler tried to spark something Thursday, when he moved Bryce Harper into the leadoff spot. Kapler has mentioned a couple times in the past week that the Phils are a better team when they see 20-plus pitches in the first inning. They are 17-12 in those games, averaging 5.5 runs per game. They are 22-23 and average 4.3 runs per game when they see 19 or fewer pitches.

The Phillies saw 23 pitches in the first inning against Nationals right-hander Erick Fedde, but they did not score. Harper went 1-for-5 with an RBI and three strikeouts. He is batting .243 with 12 home runs, 50 RBIs and an .803 OPS.

“The numbers aren't where I want them to be,” Harper said before the game. “But I just have to get on base best as I can for the guys behind me. Make smart decisions. See pitches. It's the same thing I've been telling you guys. I have to figure it out and get it going. Not miss those pitches.”

The Nats did not miss Thursday. Phils right-hander Nick Pivetta allowed six runs in 5 1/3 innings. He allowed homers to Kurt Suzuki and Anthony Rendon. Reliever Edubray Ramos then allowed a three-run homer to Victor Robles.

“We’ve got to execute pitches better,” Pivetta said.

On paper, the Phillies get a bit of a breather this weekend, when they host the Marlins in a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park, as Miami has the worst record in the NL.

“I think all the talent necessary is here,” Kapler said. “The players in our lineup have a long track record of success. The guys who are coming back in the bullpen have a long track record of success. Our starting rotation has been successful in stretches.”

It seems like a long time ago, though. The Phillies were 33-22 with a 3 1/2-game lead over the Braves on May 29. Philadelphia is 39-35 and 4 1/2 games behind Atlanta entering Friday. They are closer to the third-place Nationals, who are 7 1/2 games behind the Braves. This recent stretch of play has that nasty feeling of last season’s collapse in August and September.

Except, Hoskins said, this is totally different.

“The time of the year obviously, that makes it different,” he said. “We were a first-place team for seven, eight weeks for a reason. Obviously, we’ve had some injuries, but for the most part, the talent in this room is pretty equal to what we had in those seven, eight weeks. I think just a bad batch of baseball. We got two teams when they were hot and we were not hot, and that’s going to happen. They’re going to come back to us, and whenever they do later in the season, it’s going to be exactly the opposite. We’re going to be fine.”