PHILADELPHIA _ For his second major league start, Phillies right-hander Nick Pivetta had the unenviable task of facing baseball's most explosive offense.
The Washington Nationals entered the game leading the majors in several offensive categories, including runs (179), on base percentage (.366) and OPS (.857).
With a resurgent Ryan Zimmerman leading the attack, the Nationals pounded Pivetta for three home runs (all solo shots) during Friday's 4-2 win over the Phillies before 20,237 at Citizens Bank Park.
The Phillies (12-16) have lost four in a row and seven of eight.
Pivetta allowed all four runs. For the second consecutive game he surrendered nine hits. In his first start, the 24-year-old Pivetta also went five innings, allowing two runs during a 5-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In those two games over 10 innings, he has walked just one batter.
Washington opened the scoring in the first inning on Anthony Rendon's RBI single that just bounced over the glove of a diving second baseman Cesar Hernandez. The damage could have been worse.
With the bases loaded and one out, Pivetta, who threw 29 pitches in the first inning, struck out Michael Taylor and got Chris Heisey on a grounder to third base.
Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg, who entered the game with one career home run, made it 2-0 with a homer to left-center field in the second.
Pivetta escaped danger in the third inning when centerfielder Odubel Herrera made a diving catch with runners on second and third for the final out.
The Phillies had runners on second and third with one out in the fourth after Nationals center fielder Taylor couldn't make a running catch on what was scored a double by Michael Saunders. Cameron Rupp struck out, Freddy Galvis was intentionally walked, and Pivetta struck out to end the inning
For as much offense as the Nats have created, they entered the game without back-to-back homers this year. That streak ended in the fifth inning when Zimmerman and Rendon hit consecutive homers to increase the lead to 4-0.
Zimmerman, who had 15 home runs in 427 at bats last season, already has 12 this season. He went 3 for 5 and is hitting .433.
Strasburg departed with runners on first and second and two outs in the sixth inning. He had thrown 119 pitches, and reliever Blake Treinen got pinch hitter Brock Stassi to fly to center to end the inning.
Strasburg allowed five hits, struck out five but walked four as he labored at times.
The Nats loaded the bases in the seventh, but Saunders made a sliding inning-ending catch on Chris Heisey's liner to right against Edubray Ramos.
Washington's bullpen, which entered the game with a 5.40 ERA, has been the weak spot for the Nationals. True to form, Treinen allowed two runs in the seventh on RBI doubles by Herrera and Tommy Joseph. He left with two outs in the seventh, and lefty Enny Romero struck out Saunders to end the inning.
With that 4-2 lead, right-hander Matt Albers entered the ninth looking to earn his first career save. He had allowed no earned runs in 10 1/3 innings this season.
Hernandez was hit by a pitch to lead off the ninth. Aaron Altherr struck out, but Hernandez advanced to second on a passed ball. Herrera struck out on a high fastball for the second out.
Maikel Franco then grounded to third to end the game.
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