Brett Myers cranked out seven innings in the afternoon, and emergency callup Andrew Carpenter pitched into the fifth in his first major league start in a nightcap called in the sixth inning due to rain.
Raul Ibanez hit three long home runs, and the Phillies again battered the National League's worst pitching staff Saturday in 8-5 and 7-5 victories in a day-night doubleheader.
Philadelphia also got a scoreless one-inning save in Game 1 from closer Brad Lidge, who had allowed at least one run in each of his six previous outings. Meanwhile, things got worse for the Nationals: Game 1 starter Scott Olsen left to get an MRI exam on his throwing shoulder.
Myers (3-2) matched his longest outing of season while striking out a season-high eight batters and allowing a season-low three hits. It was just the tonic for a team that used seven pitchers in Friday's 10-6 extra-inning win.
"We needed somebody to step up and eat up some innings," Ibanez said. "Not only did he do that, but he turned in a brilliant performance."
Carpenter, promoted overnight from Triple-A because scheduled starter J.A. Happ worked in relief Friday night, allowed five runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings in Game 2. His effort was enough because a thunderstorm halted play after three Phillies had batted in the top of the sixth. Umpires gave up trying to complete the game 90 minutes later, giving Clay Condrey (4-0) the win for getting the final two outs of the fifth.
Ibanez finished the day with five hits, four runs and seven RBIs. In the first game, he hit a solo home run to center in the first inning and a three-run shot off the facade above right-center in the third. In the second game, he hit a three-run homer just right of the center field mark in the fifth, his 13th homer of the season. He is 19 for 33 with six homers and 16 RBIs against the Nationals this season.
"Don't need to talk about him," said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, trying not to jinx his slugger. "Leave him alone."
Manuel was happy to talk about Lidge, who blew a save chance Friday night. Given his recent struggles, Lidge's work Saturday - one inning, one hit allowed - was worth more than just his sixth save.
"That's how I've always managed - I get him out there as soon as I can," Manuel said. "I think sometimes if you show people you've got confidence in them, that definitely helps them."
For Nationals manager Manny Acta, Saturday was more of the same. After using eight pitchers Friday night, he said - only half-jokingly - that he expected eight innings from Olsen.
Instead, Olsen (1-4) was gone after five innings and 94 pitches, having allowed nine hits, six runs (five earned) to put his ERA at 7.24. He gave up three homers. Afterward, the left-hander underwent a precautionary MRI exam due to tightness in his shoulder, having kept the problem a secret during the game because the team was so thin in the bullpen.
"He did something that probably wouldn't help him - he was thinking about his teammates," Acta said. "He wanted to go out there and give us as many innings as he could."
In the second game, Nationals starter Daniel Cabrera (0-5) allowed seven runs and eight hits in five innings to raise his ERA to 5.95.
Notes: Nationals 3B Ryan Zimmerman reached base safely in both games, extending his streak to 34. ... The Phillies' 11-4 road record is the best in the majors. ... Nationals CF Elijah Dukes, who strained his left hamstring in Friday's game, struck out as a pinch hitter in the ninth in the first game and did not play in the second. .. Philadelphia 2B Chase Utley, in an 0 for 18 slump, sat out the first game but singled in the first inning of the second. .... The nightcap attendance of 23,896 was the Nationals' best since opening day. ... Unusual stat: Carlos Ruiz walked on four pitches with the bases loaded in the fifth, giving the patient, slick-fielding Phillies more bases-loaded walks (12) than errors (11) this season.
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