WASHINGTON -- Phillies emergency callup Andrew Carpenter pitched into the fifth in his first major league start to help Philadelphia complete a doubleheader sweep over the Washington Nationals in a 7-5 win that was cut short because of rain Saturday.
• Game 1: Phillies 8, Nationals 5
"That second game, that's what you call a good break," said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, citing the thin bullpen from the 10-6 extra-inning win on Friday night. "We'll take it. That's part of the game. It definitely helped us."
Raul Ibanez hit three long home runs, and the Phillies again battered the National League's worst pitching staff in the day-night doubleheader. The Phillies took the first game 8-5.
Carpenter (1-0), 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 a save for getting the final two outs of the fifth.
"Could've done better, could've done worse. Good first outing, I guess. At least we won," said Carpenter, who was sent back down to the minors after the game and didn't realize at the time he earned his first career victory. Because the game only went five innings, he only needed to go four to get the win instead of the standard five.
Ibanez finished the day with five hits, four runs and seven RBI. 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 RBI against the Nationals this season.
Nationals starter Daniel Cabrera (0-5) allowed seven runs and eight hits in five innings to raise his ERA to 5.95.
"You don't know how bad this feels," said Cabrera, who allowed seven runs and eight hits in five innings to raise his ERA to 5.95. "I've been out there for seven or eight times, and I can't even get a win for my team. I just feel really bad. I feel the worst I've ever been in my life."
Notes
- LHP Sergio Escalona will be recalled from Double-A Reading to take Carpenter's spot.
- Nationals 3B Ryan Zimmerman reached base safely in both games, extending his streak to 34.
- 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.
- All players wore No. 42 in the nightcap in honor of Jackie Robinson, a tribute postponed from April 15 because of a rainout.
