Daylen Lile Leads Washington Nationals' Ninth-Inning Rally to Defeat Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 on August 22, 2025

Friday, August 22nd, 2025

Washington Nationals Rally Late to Defeat Philadelphia Phillies 5-4

The Washington Nationals pulled off a dramatic 5-4 comeback victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on August 22 at Citizens Bank Park. Down by a run in the ninth inning, the Nationals stunned the Phillies with key hits and aggressive baserunning to seal the win.

Ninth-Inning Comeback Secures Nationals Win

Daylen Lile delivered a clutch, game-tying single in the top of the ninth inning, bringing home Dylan Crews who had doubled off Phillies closer Jhoan Duran. Lile then advanced to second base on the play at the plate, stole third, and scored the go-ahead run after Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto’s errant throw sailed into left field. The Nationals added another run to complete a two-run rally in the ninth.

Bullpen Seals the Victory

P.J. Poulin stepped up for the Nationals, retiring all six batters he faced across two scoreless innings to secure his first career win. He kept the Phillies bats quiet as the Nationals staged their comeback.

Early Offense and Key Home Runs

Riley Adams gave the Nationals an early boost in the first inning with a three-run homer off Phillies starter Taijuan Walker, his eighth long ball of the season. The offense, however, went quiet until the dramatic ninth-inning surge.

Cade Cavalli took the mound as the Nationals starter, allowing three runs on seven hits across six innings of work.

Phillies Highlights and Missed Opportunities

The Phillies, leaders of the NL East, saw home runs from J.T. Realmuto and Bryson Stott. Despite this, their four-game winning streak was halted as the bullpen faltered late. Jhoan Duran suffered his first blown save since joining Philadelphia, after converting each of his first six opportunities out of the bullpen.

Key Moment

Dylan Crews’ clutch double off Duran in the ninth inning marked the first extra-base hit allowed by the new Phillies closer since his arrival from Minnesota. That hit ignited the Nationals’ winning rally.

Key Stat

First base umpire Cory Blaser overturned three pickoff calls on video review in the first five innings, all involving Philadelphia’s Taijuan Walker. Walker holds the most pickoffs by a right-hander since 2015, reflecting his reputation for controlling the running game.

Up Next

The series continues as Nationals left-hander Mitchell Parker (7-13, 5.83 ERA) takes on Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola (1-7, 6.92 ERA) in the middle game on Saturday.

In summary

The Washington Nationals staged a thrilling ninth-inning comeback to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4, highlighted by Daylen Lile’s clutch single and heads-up baserunning. The Phillies’ bullpen suffered a rare hiccup, ending their winning streak and tilting momentum in favor of Washington as the series continues. This exciting matchup delivered standout moments and pivotal plays that kept fans on the edge of their seats in Philadelphia.

Related Links

• Washington Nationals News & Updates
• Washington Nationals Schedule & Scores
• Philadelphia Phillies News & Updates
• Philadelphia Phillies Schedule & Scores
• MLB News