Odubel Herrera walks the game off in first hit fashion: Phillies win, 3-2

Odubel Herrera. The kid has been the top story for the Phillies, putting aside the Cole Hamels trade talks, and he keeps getting hotter. Herrera, the twenty-three year old rookie from the Rule 5 draft back in December, made a huge splash in spring training by posting a .343 batting average, two home runs, and seven stolen bases.

Coming into today's game against the Nationals, Herrera was still searching for his first major league hit. Almost four hours later, Odubel Herrera was at the bottom of the dog pile celebrating his first big league hit, his first walk off hit, and the Phillies first series victory against he mighty Washington Nationals team.

The Nationals, similarly to last night, struck first in the fourth inning with a Wilson Ramos home run off Phillies ace Cole Hamels. After the seventh inning, Phillies fans had to shift in their seats. There was no big seventh inning comeback to be had. To top it off, pinch hitter Clint Robinson knocked in Danny Espinosa for the second run, making it 2-0 in the top of the eighth.

With this game looking bleak, the middle of the lineup came up big. Chase Utley hit a line drive to center field with one out, followed by Ryan Howard's second double of the night. Utley scored, making the score 2-1, and Ryne Sandberg brought in Cesar Hernandez to run for the Big Piece.

The next batter, Carlos Ruiz, smacked a groundball single up the middle. Hernandez scored, and the game became tied in a knot. Grady Sizemore looked to continue this big inning with a double, which moved Ruiz to third, but Ruiz was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice by Odubel Herrera. Andres Blanco, with two hits already in the game, was then called out on strikes for the third out.

Jonathan Papelbon entered the game for the top of the ninth inning, holding the Nationals to one hit by Reed Johnson. The Phillies threatened in the bottom of the ninth with a double by Jeff Francoeur, but they came up dry.

The tenth inning became tense for Dustin McGowan, who replaced Papelbon and his pinch hitter, Jeff Francoeur. With one out, McGowan walked Michael Taylor. After Taylor stole second base, Yunel Escobar singled on a groundball to Ben Revere in left field. Revere showed off his cannon by throwing out Taylor at home.

McGowan then intentionally walked Bryce Harper, using their open base after Escobar advanced on Revere's throw. Nationals' first baseman Ryan Zimmerman struck out for the last out of the inning.

In the bottom of the tenth, Tanner Roark entered the game to attempt hold the game at a tie. Things did not work out as planned for Roark, however, as Carlos Ruiz singled on a ground ball to left fielder Reed Johnson to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Odubel Herrera hit a double, his first career hit, which scored Ruiz and secured the team their third win of the season.

Tomorrow, the Phillies look to sweep the Washington Nationals, National League favorite for the playoffs and World Series. The game time is 1:35 p.m.

W: Dustin McGowan

L: Tanner Roark