No, the Philadelphia Phillies are it now. The “Take Back the Park” initiative was an embarrassment by its very necessity, although it was a success. But making a real rivalry is more complicated than an ad campaign. Here’s what you do. Take a former swaggering world champion. Put it in last place. Take the former division doormat. Put it in first place. Stir. Top with a cheeky rookie. Serve.

Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels helped push things forward by plunking Harper in Sunday’s series finale on national television, and then admitting he did it on purpose after the game. The move ultimately resulted in a relatively inconsequential five-game suspension for Hamels (he won’t miss his next scheduled start), but it lit a fire underneath Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo. As Adam Kilgore reported:

Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo responded to Cole Hamels’ admission he drilled Bryce Harper on purpose last night in harsh terms, saying MLB should suspend Hamels and calling out Hamels as “fake tough.”

“Players take care of themselves,” Rizzo said after I called him this morning. “I’ve never seen a more classless, gutless chicken [bleep] act in my 30 years in baseball.

“Cole Hamels says he’s old school? He’s the polar opposite of old school. He’s fake tough. He thinks he’s going to intimidate us after hitting our 19-year-old rookie who’s eight games into the big leagues? He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.”

Rizzo said player safety should take precedence and Hamels should miss at least one start.

[Late Monday afternoon, Major League Baseball announced that Hamels has been suspended for five games.]

“With all the bounty [stuff] going on in professional football, the commissioner better act with a purpose on this thing,” Rizzo said. “Players have a way of monitoring themselves. We’re not here to hit people and hurt people.

“He thinks he’s sending a message to us of being a tough guy. He’s sending the polar opposite message. He says he’s being honest; well, I’m being honest. It was a gutless chicken [bleep] [bleeping] act. That was a fake-tough act. No one has ever accused Cole Hamels of being old school.”

If nothing else, the weekend’s testy series should heighten the anticipation for remaining 15 meetings between the I-95 foes this summer. As Adam Kilgore wrote:

Find the fattest, reddest marker you can and circle May 21, the day of the Washington Nationals’ next game against the Philadelphia Phillies. In the hours after the final out of the teams’ three-game series at Nationals Park this past weekend, the rhetoric between the two clubs only intensified.

The Nationals had marketed the series as an appeal to Washington fans to “take back the park” from Philadelphia followers, who regularly made the two-hour trek to support their team. Sunday night, it became clear the enmity between the sides has extended to the players and executives as well.

Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels admitted after the game he had drilled Nationals 19-year-old rookie Bryce Harper with a pitch on purpose. Monday morning, Washington General Manager Mike Rizzo blasted Hamels, calling the move “classless” and “gutless” while labeling Hamels “fake tough.” Rizzo called on Major League Baseball to suspend Hamels, and by Monday evening, the pitcher had been handed a five-game ban.

Meanwhile, former Phillie Jayson Werth said he could hear Phillies fans taunting him as he walked off the field Sunday night with a broken left wrist, suffered after he slid to catch a fly ball. Werth underwent surgery Monday at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., performed by Richard Berger, to repair a distal radius fracture. He will miss roughly 10 to 12 weeks.

In an e-mail to the Post, Werth, a member of the 2008 World Series champion Phillies, vowed he would return, motivated to keep Phillies fans from ever seeing another title parade.

“After walking off the field feeling nauseous knowing my wrist was broke and hearing Philly fans yelling ‘You deserve it,’ and, ‘That’s what you get,’ I am motivated to get back quickly and see to it personally those people never walk down Broad Street in celebration again,” Werth wrote.

The Philadelphia Phillies were making the Washington Nationals look like a brand new powerhouse this weekend. Phillies fans like myself may have to hear for some time how Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals budding stars are making Washington the biggest new threat in the NL East.

They backed this up with two straight victories this past weekend, yet Cole Hamels helped give Philadelphia something to build on in the series finale on May 6. With the Nationals looking for a sweep in front of a prime time stage, and with Harper kicking things off by stealing home in the first inning, things looked ominous early on. But it was the Phillies who got a jolt of power from Hamels’ arm and even a late surge from the bats, en route to a relieving 9-3 victory.

For all of Hamels’ dominance after the first, his night was defined early by hitting Harper and having it lead to him stealing home. However, after the dust settled from that – and after Hamels himself was hit at the plate in the third – the Phillies ace was in control the rest of the way. Of course, that usually means Philadelphia will only give him one or two runs of support at best on most nights.

Yet the Phillies got the only two runs they needed for Hamels on a Hunter Pence home run in the fourth. For good measure, they racked up six more in the ninth to put things away and end this series on a high note. While Harper made the early highlight reel, Hamels and Philadelphia took the only thing that really counted – at least one victory for the weekend.

This early showdown still favored the Nationals and showed that they can conceivably threaten the Phillies for the long haul. But it would have made a greater statement for Washington to finish the sweep in prime time – as if Philadelphia hasn’t been embarrassed enough already this year.

Still, since Hamels got another dominant win and he was the Phillies’ only ace to pitch this weekend, the Nationals may have gotten a little lucky. Once Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee are at full strength, will they and Hamels show that Washington’s new collection of aces isn’t on their level yet? And will Harper keep giving the Nationals’ offense a boost going into the summer, when the Phillies hope for Ryan Howard and Chase Utley to boost their own attack?

The weekend still ended with the Nationals in first place and the Phillies still stuck in last with a sub. 500 record. But it could have been even worse for the Phillies, so hopefully since this late win kept it from getting worse, they won’t push their luck again for a while.

Robert Dougherty is a life-long Philadelphia resident who has followed the Phillies since he was eight years old.

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Phillies fail once again to just get over .500

Good version of Blanton better than ever for Phillies

Phillies lose in most unlikely slugfest imaginable

Phillies start May with statement games in Atlanta, Washington

WASHINGTON — Washington Nationals right fielder and Chatham Glenwood graduate Jayson Werth broke his left wrist Sunday night trying to make a sliding catch against the Philadelphia Phillies.

“It’s a clean break,” Washington manager Davey Johnson said after the Nationals’ 9-3 loss. “He’s going to be out for a while.”

Johnson said Werth will see a specialist to evaluate the injury.

Werth was injured in the sixth inning. The right fielder’s glove got caught underneath him and he bent his wrist backward trying to grab Placido Polanco’s sinking liner. Werth stayed on the ground briefly before throwing the ball back to the infield. He walked off holding his left wrist.

Werth wasn’t available to speak to the media after the game.

This is only the latest in a string of injuries that have already hit the Nationals this season. Michael Morse, slated to be the team’s cleanup hitter, hasn’t played because of an injured back muscle. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman has been on the disabled list with a shoulder injury, and fill-in cleanup hitter Adam LaRoche has missed the past four games because of a sore right side muscle. Zimmerman and LaRoche are hoping to return for Washington’s next game, Tuesday night at Pittsburgh.

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Bryce Harper had a hand in everything for the Washington Nationals.

Harper made a tumbling barehanded catch in centerfield and then led off the ninth inning with a double to set the stage for Ian Desmond’s two-out game-ending home run that gave the Nationals a 5-4 victory over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night.

“He was born for these situations,” Washington manager Davey Johnson said of Harper.

In the sixth inning, Harper fell down in the right-center gap while attempting to catch a fly ball off Jason Kubel’s bat. As he landed in the grass, Harper secured the ball in his ungloved right hand.

“I was wondering if anybody saw that,” Harper said. “It went underneath my glove, and I caught it with my bare hand on the back side of it.”

Harper, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft, also had his first multi-hit game with two doubles and a single from the No. 7 spot in the lineup. He scored his first career run in the fourth inning, knocking the ball out of the catcher’s glove.

The Nationals snapped their own five-game losing streak and ended the three-game winning streak of the Diamondbacks.

“We needed it,” Johnson said. “No doubt about it.”

Henry Rodriguez (1-1) struck out two in the top of the ninth to earn the win. J.J. Putz (0-2) blew the save and took the loss. After Harper’s leadoff double, Putz struck out the next two batters before Desmond’s homer to left.

“It won’t be the last time it happens to us this year,” Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. “We’re playing good baseball. We just have to shake this one off and come back tomorrow.”

Harper nearly homered in the fourth inning, settling for an RBI double off the top of the wall. The next batter hit a grounder to Arizona second baseman Aaron Hill, who misplayed the ball. Although the ball didn’t go far and he started the play at second base, Harper attempted to score.

Hill’s throw beat Harper to the plate, but a sliding Harper knocked the ball from catcher Miguel Montero’s glove to score his first major-league run.

“I was trying to make something happen at the plate, go in hard and try to make something happen,” Harper said.

Harper singled in the second inning for his first hit at Nationals Park. Harper hit a weak grounder to the right side of the infield. Saunders raced off the mound and dove, his glove flying off his hand at the ball, and remained sprawled on the field for a few moments as Harper reached safely.

After being examined and tossing a couple of warmup pitches, Saunders remained in the game and threw to first to start a rundown that ended the inning with Harper caught stealing.

Harper also showed off his arm, holding Kubel at third base on a fourth inning flyout by throwing a bullet to the catcher. The next hitter flew out to left fielder Xavier Nady, not much deeper than Harper was, and Kubel scored.

Even Harper’s seventh-inning flyout to centerfield, just short of the warning track, drew gasps.

“He’s got a lot of energy,” Desmond said. “He brings a lot of energy to the team, and that may have been what we needed.”

Jayson Werth singled in the eighth inning after Upton dropped a foul ball, keeping Werth at the plate. That put two runners on base, but Craig Breslow entered the game and retired the next three batters, the final two by strikeout. That also delayed Harper’s fourth plate appearance to the ninth inning.

When Desmond came up in the ninth, he followed the advice he previously gave Harper and Steve Lombardozzi.

“Frank Robinson told me that you’ve got to watch the pitcher, you’ve got to watch the pitcher, you’ve got to watch the pitcher,” Desmond said.

Desmond saw Putz was elevating his fastball and splitter high, and locked in on those pitches. The win comes after a stretch where the Nationals’ struggles at the plate drew plenty of attention.

“You guys are asking the wrong questions,” Desmond said. “We’re in first place. We’re playing good baseball.”

Notes: Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who’s on the disabled list with an inflamed right shoulder, could return Tuesday at Pittsburgh, according to Johnson. That will depend on a Friday hitting session, but not a rehab assignment. “I’ll take him cold turkey,” Johnson said. … Chien-Ming Wang, who’s recovering from a left hamstring strain, will throw two more rehab stints of about 75 pitches each before a decision is made on his next step, Johnson said. Johnson said he hadn’t decided whether Wang will start or relieve upon his return. … Washington pitcher Stephen Strasburg won National League Pitcher of the Month for April, becoming the first National to claim honor besides Chad Cordero, who won in June 2005. Strasburg went 2-0 in five starts with a 1.13 earned-run average, a league-best 34 strikeouts and six walks. … Stephen Drew (ankle) will play three innings Thursday in a rehab assignment, Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. … Diamondbacks pitcher Wade Miley won National League Rookie of the Month for April. He won both his starts and one of his three relief appearances, notching a 1.29 earned-run average and striking out 15 in 21 innings. “It’s nice, but at the same time, I told him to keep the same hat size,” Gibson said.

Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals hits a double in the fourth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park on May 2, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON — Bryce Harper had a hand in everything for the Washington Nationals.

Harper made a tumbling barehanded catch in centerfield and then led off the ninth inning with a double to set the stage for Ian Desmond’s two-out game-ending home run that gave the Nationals a 5-4 victory over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday night.

“He was born for these situations,” Washington manager Davey Johnson said of Harper.

In the sixth inning, Harper fell down in the right-center gap while attempting to catch a fly ball off Jason Kubel’s bat. As he landed in the grass, Harper secured the ball in his ungloved right hand.

“I was wondering if anybody saw that,” Harper said. “It went underneath my glove, and I caught it with my bare hand on the back side of it.”

Harper, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft, also had his first multi-hit game with two doubles and a single from the No. 7 spot in the lineup. He scored his first career run in the fourth inning, knocking the ball out of the catcher’s glove.

The Nationals snapped their own five-game losing streak and ended the three-game winning streak of the Diamondbacks.

“We needed it,” Johnson said. “No doubt about it.”

Henry Rodriguez (1-1) struck out two in the top of the ninth to earn the win. J.J. Putz (0-2) blew the save and took the loss. After Harper’s leadoff double, Putz struck out the next two batters before Desmond’s homer to left.

“It won’t be the last time it happens to us this year,” Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. “We’re playing good baseball. We just have to shake this one off and come back tomorrow.”

Harper nearly homered in the fourth inning, settling for an RBI double off the top of the wall. The next batter hit a grounder to Arizona second baseman Aaron Hill, who misplayed the ball. Although the ball didn’t go far and he started the play at second base, Harper attempted to score.

Hill’s throw beat Harper to the plate, but a sliding Harper knocked the ball from catcher Miguel Montero’s glove to score his first major-league run.

“I was trying to make something happen at the plate, go in hard and try to make something happen,” Harper said.

Harper singled in the second inning for his first hit at Nationals Park. Harper hit a weak grounder to the right side of the infield. Saunders raced off the mound and dove, his glove flying off his hand at the ball, and remained sprawled on the field for a few moments as Harper reached safely.

After being examined and tossing a couple of warmup pitches, Saunders remained in the game and threw to first to start a rundown that ended the inning with Harper caught stealing.

Harper also showed off his arm, holding Kubel at third base on a fourth inning flyout by throwing a bullet to the catcher. The next hitter flew out to left fielder Xavier Nady, not much deeper than Harper was, and Kubel scored.

Even Harper’s seventh-inning flyout to centerfield, just short of the warning track, drew gasps.

“He’s got a lot of energy,” Desmond said. “He brings a lot of energy to the team, and that may have been what we needed.”

Jayson Werth singled in the eighth inning after Upton dropped a foul ball, keeping Werth at the plate. That put two runners on base, but Craig Breslow entered the game and retired the next three batters, the final two by strikeout. That also delayed Harper’s fourth plate appearance to the ninth inning.

When Desmond came up in the ninth, he followed the advice he previously gave Harper and Steve Lombardozzi.

“Frank Robinson told me that you’ve got to watch the pitcher, you’ve got to watch the pitcher, you’ve got to watch the pitcher,” Desmond said.

Desmond saw Putz was elevating his fastball and splitter high, and locked in on those pitches. The win comes after a stretch where the Nationals’ struggles at the plate drew plenty of attention.

“You guys are asking the wrong questions,” Desmond said. “We’re in first place. We’re playing good baseball.”

Notes: Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who’s on the disabled list with an inflamed right shoulder, could return Tuesday at Pittsburgh, according to Johnson. That will depend on a Friday hitting session, but not a rehab assignment. “I’ll take him cold turkey,” Johnson said. … Chien-Ming Wang, who’s recovering from a left hamstring strain, will throw two more rehab stints of about 75 pitches each before a decision is made on his next step, Johnson said. Johnson said he hadn’t decided whether Wang will start or relieve upon his return. … Washington pitcher Stephen Strasburg won National League Pitcher of the Month for April, becoming the first National to claim honor besides Chad Cordero, who won in June 2005. Strasburg went 2-0 in five starts with a 1.13 earned-run average, a league-best 34 strikeouts and six walks. … Stephen Drew (ankle) will play three innings Thursday in a rehab assignment, Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. … Diamondbacks pitcher Wade Miley won National League Rookie of the Month for April. He won both his starts and one of his three relief appearances, notching a 1.29 earned-run average and striking out 15 in 21 innings. “It’s nice, but at the same time, I told him to keep the same hat size,” Gibson said.

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Game notes: Joe Saunders is off to a tremendous start. In what was the best April of his career, Saunders gave up just three earned runs in 30 innings. … Saunders’ ground-ball rate is 54.9 percent, way up from his career average of 45.8 percent. He’s also allowing fewer line drives. … Saunders has a 2.89 ERA in four starts against the Nationals. OF Jayson Werth has hit him well, going 3 for 10 with a double, two home runs and a walk. … Edwin Jackson is with his seventh organization, one of which was the Diamondbacks, who had him for a half-season in 2010 before trading him to the Chicago White Sox for RHP Daniel Hudson and LHP David Holmberg. … Jackson has thrown well for the Nationals, striking out 26 and walking six in 25 2/3 innings. … Jackson has a 4.43 ERA in his career, with just a 1.86 strikeout/walk ratio. … Jackson faced the Diamondbacks while with the White Sox last season, giving up four runs in 6 2/3 innings. RF Justin Upton is 3 for 3 (all singles) against him.

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SAN DIEGO (AP) – The scoreless innings streak by Washington starters ended at 26, the longest in Nationals history.
    
The overall result, however, was another victory.
    
Jordan Zimmermann pitched four scoreless innings to help set the record before Orlando Hudson homered for San Diego and the NL East-leading Nationals beat the Padres 7-2 on Wednesday in a matchup of the NL’s best and worst teams.
    
The old record for consecutive scoreless innings by Nationals starters was 24 innings in 2005.
    
The streak began Thursday with four scoreless innings by Edwin Jackson, followed by six scoreless innings each by Ross Detwiler, Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez.
    
“I always want to try to do a little better than the guy before me,” Zimmermann said. “Gio did a little better job, I guess, but I’ll take six innings and one run anytime.”
    
Hudson ended the streak when he homered to right with two outs in the fifth, his first, on a 1-1 pitch from Zimmermann.
    
“He pitched a great ballgame. He was outstanding,” manager Davey Johnson said. “He made one bad pitch to the second baseman. Kind of hung a slider on the inside half and he crushed it. But other than that, he was his usual self.”
    
Johnson has enjoyed watching his starters, who are 8-2 with a 1.71 ERA while holding opponents to a .182 average with 103 strikeouts against just 22 walks.
    
“It’s been outstanding. Six or seven innings putting up zeroes, low hits, very few mistakes. They’re kind of competing against each other when they go out there – who’s going to throw the better outing? It’s been fun to watch,” Johnson said.
    
Zimmermann (1-1) allowed one run and four hits in six innings, struck out six and walked none. It was his 29th straight start with two or fewer walks dating to his second start of 2011. Tom Gorzelanny pitched three innings in relief of Zimmermann for a save.
    
“You look at a 2.20 ERA when you are giving up two runs per game over 20 games, you are going to have nice results,” Padres manager Bud Black said, noting Washington’s overall ERA. “The two starters we’ve seen are legit.”
    
Gonzalez allowed only two singles in six scoreless innings in a 3-1 win on Tuesday night.
    
Adam LaRoche had three hits, two runs and an RBI for the Nationals (14-4), who won their fourth straight and are off to the best 18-game start in Washington-Montreal franchise history. They’ve won all six series this year and eight straight overall.
    
Zimmermann also hit an RBI single in the second, when the Nationals jumped ahead 2-0 on three hits and a walk against rookie Joe Wieland, who was making his third start. LaRoche hit a leadoff double down the right-field line and scored on Rick Ankiel’s one-out double to right.  With two outs, Zimmermann singled to center to bring in Ankiel.
    
The Nationals added four runs in the seventh on four hits and two walks against three relievers. LaRoche hit an RBI single, Jayson Werth drew a bases-loaded walk and Wilson Ramos had a two-run single.
    
“We hit a lot of balls hard today,” Johnson said. “This is a huge ballpark. At least three balls would have been way out in any other ballpark.”
    
Wieland (0-3) allowed two runs and five hits in six innings, struck out four and walked three.
    
“I definitely started better than the last two,” Wieland said. “I was able to execute better. I got ahead of guys in the first inning and I got quick outs. That was the biggest difference from the first two.”
    
NOTES: Nationals manager Davey Johnson said an MRI on 3B Ryan Zimmerman’s right shoulder shows inflammation but no structural damage. Zimmerman missed his third straight start on Wednesday. Johnson says the plan is to have Zimmerman take some swings on Thursday to see how he feels. … If there’s no relief by Thursday, Zimmerman could be sent back to Washington for treatment. Johnson said Zimmerman had a cortisone shot on Saturday but it’s possible the shot might not have had its full effect. … Padres RHP Dustin Moseley had surgery on his right shoulder and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Moseley had extensive damage to his rotator cuff and labrum. He made just one start, against Los Angeles on April 7. He was placed on the disabled list the next day and an MRI exam revealed the damage. Moseley had season-ending surgery on his left shoulder in August after going 3-10 with a 3.30 ERA in 20 starts in his first season with San Diego. … The series concludes Thursday night when RHP Edwin Jackson (1-1, 4.26) is scheduled to start for the Nationals against RHP Edinson Volquez (0-2, 4.30).

After Jordan Zimmermann’s stellar performance and an unusual outpouring of support for him, the Nationals had another series victory in their back pocket, 6 for 6 this year. They have a 14-4 record, the best start in Washington baseball history, matched only by the 1932 Senators. This laid-back victory put all the others — 13 decided by four runs or fewer, eight decided by two or one — in perspective.

“Not that we can lay down late in the game,” first baseman Adam LaRoche said. “But it’s nice to know every pitch, every play isn’t a potential loss. If we keep flirting with these one- and two-run games, one pitch, one base hit and we can lose. It hasn’t happened. And it’s been awesome.”

If the Nationals wanted to add another nip-and-tuck win, Zimmermann made it possible. He allowed one run in six innings on four hits and no walks to go with six strikeouts, which actually raised his ERA to 1.33, which ranks no better than third among Nationals starters.

“For me, I always want to try to do better than the guy before,” Zimmermann said. That would not be a problem on most staffs. But he follows Gio Gonzalez, who has a 20-inning scoreless streak. And Gonzalez follows Stephen Strasburg.

Before he allowed a home run in the fifth, Zimmermann extended the Nationals’ starting rotation’s scoreless streak to 26 innings, their longest such stretch since baseball returned to Washington. In 14 of 18 games this season, their starters have allowed two or fewer earned runs.

“They’re trying to compete against each other when they’re going out there,” Johnson said. “It’s been fun to watch.”

The difference Wednesday was, without Ryan Zimmerman but against the rancid Padres (5-14), the Nationals didn’t need a great start. LaRoche went 3 for 3 with a walk, raising his on-base percentage to over .400 while producing his team-leading 14th RBI. The Nationals turned a one-run game into a blowout with a four-run seventh, paced by Wilson Ramos’s two-run, bases-loaded single.

The Nationals could lose Zimmerman for another week. They have played all season without cleanup hitter Michael Morse and closer Drew Storen. It hasn’t mattered.

“Whatever adversity is thrown at us, it seems like we’re handling it pretty well,” shortstop Ian Desmond said.

Wednesday, the Nationals afforded Zimmermann the unknown luxury of early run support. In his first three outings, the Nationals scored one run while Zimmerman was still in the game. In the second inning, LaRoche and Rick Ankiel both doubled down the right-field line for the game’s first run.

As spring training drew to a close, some Washington Nationals grew weary of the growing external expectations placed on them. Despite having never finished with a winning record, they had turned into a trendy playoff choice. Several players openly predicted October baseball, too, but not all of them: “Talk is cheap,” Jayson Werth said in late March. “We’re going to have to go out and do it.”

The talk, at least before the season’s first month has elapsed, has given way to a start even the most optimistic prognosticators could not have forecasted. As they prepare to begin a six-game West Coast swing Tuesday night in San Diego, the Nationals entered Monday night tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers, at 12-4, for the best record in the National League.

No pennants have been won in April, the month on the baseball calendar that tells more lies than any other. But the Nationals’ start has validated their hope that they are leaving a dismal past for a bright future. Through 16 games, or 10 percent of the season, they have validated the talk with success on the field.

“It gives us the confidence that we have the talent on this team to do whatever we want,” second baseman Danny Espinosa said. “We’re not even playing that well, in my eyes. Not everyone is hitting. Not everyone is clicking exactly where they want to be right now. For us to be winning ballgames against tough teams and still not have everything going 100 percent right, it’s a pretty good sign.”

The Nationals have used their hot start to prove, to both the league and themselves, that they can move from also-ran to contender. Even if they’re in first place, the Nationals’ start means little in the standings at this juncture; the last-place Philadelphia Phillies have plenty of time to make up a five-game deficit. What does it mean to the Nationals? The start reassured them and created an expectation to win.

“It’s a huge mental hurdle,” veteran Mark DeRosa said. “The guys in here, we thought we had a good team coming out of camp, ready to win. Until you do it, you don’t really, truly know. I think it validates all the talk. It is very early. But we know as a team we can win.”

The Nationals have thrived on close games, holding teams down with their dominant pitching staff and scraping out just enough runs with an offense playing without projected cleanup hitter Michael Morse, on the disabled list until midseason because of a strained right lat. The Nationals have gone 7-3 in games decided by one run or in extra innings. Already, they have won two 2-1 games, two 3-2 games and a 1-0 game.

Over a full season, one-run games typically even out for every team. The Pythagorean Winning Percentage formula, an accurate predictor of future success, gauges where a team’s record should stand based on runs scored and allowed. The Nationals have out-performed their expected record but still, at 10-6, have the third-best Pythagorean winning expectancy in the majors.

“The mettle of a team is winning close ballgames,” Manager Davey Johnson said. “As a manager, I’ve always looked at our record in close games. That talks about clutch hitting. Clutch pitching. That’s very important if you’re going to contend. You can’t get beat up in these close ballgames.”