PHILADELPHIA -- Jimmy Rollins was just hoping for a chance. When Cesar Hernandez provided that opportunity, he made the most of it. Rollins hit a tying RBI double and scored on Carlos Ruizs single in Philadelphias two-run eighth inning, helping the Phillies edge the Washington Nationals 3-2 on Monday night. Hernandez started the winning rally with a two-out walk against Tyler Clippard (6-3). He came around to score on Rollins double. "I was really hoping (Hernandez got on base) so I could get up there and have a chance to do something," Rollins said. "We put some at-bats together and it worked out." After Chase Utley was walked intentionally, Ruiz drove in Rollins with a single to left. B.J. Rosenberg (1-0) recorded the final out of the eighth for the win and Jonathan Papelbon finished for his 24th save in 30 chances. "That was really a tough one; it really hurt," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said. "It was like a stab in the heart." The Nationals put runners on the corners with one out in the ninth, but Wilson Ramos was called out on strikes and Anthony Rendon struck out swinging to end the game. Ryan Zimmerman homered for Washington, which had won nine of 12. The Nationals fell 7 1/2 games back of Cincinnati for the second NL wild card. "We had opportunities . but we couldnt get it done," Johnson said. The Nationals took a 2-1 lead in the eighth on Scott Hairstons bases-loaded sacrifice fly that scored Rendon. Hernandez, a converted infielder who was playing his first career game in centre, fielded the ball in shallow centre field but his throw went weakly up the third-base line. Philadelphia left-hander Cole Hamels and Washington right-hander Stephen Strasburg each pitched well before turning a tie game over to the bullpens. "It was quite a pitchers battle," Phillies interim manager Ryne Sandberg said. Hamels struck out eight in seven sharp innings, limiting the Nationals to one run and two hits. He threw 87 pitches, 69 for strikes. Hamels has a 1.90 ERA in his last seven starts but has just two wins during that span. The left-handers record stands at 6-13, thanks partly to the fourth-lowest run support (3.44) among all major league starters entering Mondays action. The performance was somewhat surprising considering Hamels struggled to find his rhythm in his pregame bullpen session. "Sometimes later in the year its hard to get loose," he said. But facing Strasburg helped, he said. "Anytime you get to compete against the best, you try to up your game," Hamels said. "You try to throw zeroes just like hes doing. I definitely would take pitching against him more often than not because you feel like you really do have to strive for perfection." Strasburg fanned 10 while giving up an unearned run and two hits in six innings. He threw 100 pitches, 64 for strikes. The right-hander said he struggled maintaining his grip on the ball on a humid evening that began with a gametime temperature of 81 degrees. "I was sweating a lot out there," he said. "It affected me not being able to pitch more innings. Strange circumstances but I have to be able to deal with it. It was tough gripping the ball like I usually do." Zimmerman connected on an 0-2 pitch in the first for his 16th homer. Washington got just two baserunners off Hamels from that point, with Ramos reaching on an error in the fifth and Bryce Harper singling in the sixth. Strasburg was equally stingy. His only blemish was Ruizs broken-bat RBI single in the fourth that scored Rollins, who had walked. It was an unearned run because Rollins reached second when Ramos throw trying to pick him off at first hit Utleys bat and went to the backstop. Strasburgs record, like Hamels, isnt indicative of how well he has pitched. Strasburg has a 2.41 ERA in his last six starts but has just one win during the stretch. The teams combined to use seven relievers after the starters left. NOTES: Johnson said Harper has a sore hip. "He keeps saying, Im fine, Im fine. Hes a tough kid," Johnson said. "Thats the way he is." Harper missed 31 games with a left knee injury earlier this season. ... Hairston entered with a .412 average (14 for 34) and five homers against Hamels, but went 0 for 3 with three strikeouts against the lanky lefty. ... The three-game series continues Tuesday night when Washington LHP Gio Gonzalez (8-6, 3.56 ERA) opposes RHP Ethan Martin (2-3, 6.39 ERA). ... INF Freddy Galvis and RHP Tyler Cloyd were among the six players the Phillies called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Philadelphia also recalled relievers Luis Garcia, Mauricio Robles and Joe Savery, and purchased the contract of C Cameron Rupp from Lehigh Valley. Victor Martinez Tigers Jersey . 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I know its common knowledge that all players are responsible for their sticks. We witnessed that when Zack Kassian hit Edmontons Sam Gagner in the face after a missed check.CARSON, Calif. -- Seattles Eddie Johnson and Los Angeles Juninho traded first-half goals and the Sounders and Galaxy settled for a 1-1 draw Saturday night. Johnson headed home a corner kick to give Seattle a 25th-minute lead, and Juninho scored on a 24-yard free kick in first-half stoppage time. Seattle (15-8-5), which saw its five-game winning streak halted, increased its lead in the Western Conference and Supporters Shield standings to two points. Los Angeles (13-10-6) jumped back into fourth place in the West, five points behind the Sounders. Both teams were without their U.S. national team stars. Galaxy forward Landon Donovan sprained his ankle sustained last weekend and Sounders forward Clint Dempsey strained a calf in training this week. The Galaxy were dominant after halftime, scoring a potential tiebreaking goal that was waved off and created little else that was concrete. "We just werent good enough in the final third of the field, with the final pass or our look at the goal, and it made a difference in the game," Los Angeles coach Bruce Arena said. "We obviously got the one goal called back. If that was a foul, then maybe Eddie doesnt get his goal in the first half. I thought (the officiating) was inconsistent, and in a tight game like that,, those kinds of plays and calls are what decides the outcome.dddddddddddd" Johnson scored on an open header from about 8 yards, losing Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez as he started his run at the top of the box to get to Mauro Rosales serve. Johnson nearly scored another in the 39th, but Los Angeles goalkeeper Jaime Penedo leaped to grab his open shot in the box. Juninho tallied with the final touch of the first half, bending a free kick from just above the semicircle inside the left post. Rookie Gyasi Zardes forced a leaping save from Seattle goalkeeper Michael Gspurning with a blast toward the upper-right corner in the 19th minute, and he appeared to put the Galaxy ahead following a free kick 15 minutes into the second half, after Gonzalez headed Juninhos cross into the goalmouth. Referee Silviu Petrescu whistled the Galaxy for a foul, apparently on defender Todd Dunivant, while the ball was in the air. "I think they had a little more possession than we had, for sure," Seattle coach Sigi Schmid said. "But I think that we had some very dangerous chances. ... I think we had opportunities to get our second goal, but thats the way it is. Its an end-to-end game, an exciting game for the fans, but it wasnt always the best soccer." 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