Phillies’ Ranger Suárez Strikes Out 11, Secures Series Win Over Nationals

Ranger Suárez delivered a dominant performance for the Philadelphia Phillies, striking out a career-high 11 batters over seven shutout innings against the Washington Nationals, marking his second consecutive start with double-digit strikeouts. Backup catcher Rafael Marchán provided crucial offense with a two-run double and a bases-loaded walk, driving in all three runs in the Phillies' 3-2 victory. Despite a late homer by the Nationals' Luis Garcia Jr., the Phillies' bullpen, led by Tanner Banks and Orion Kerkering, held on to secure the win and a series victory. The Phillies have won six of seven games and hold a seven-game lead over the New York Mets in the NL East as they head into a key three-game series. Suárez's recent dominance, alongside strong performances from other starters like Jesús Luzardo and Cristopher Sánchez, underscores the Phillies' strong rotation even after losing ace Zack Wheeler for the season. Manager Rob Thomson emphasized the team's focus on taking care of business as they prepare for upcoming rivalry matchups.