Nationals Blow Late Lead Again

The Nationals’ late-inning collapse continues as they lose to the Phillies again, this time after a baffling pitching change that backfired spectacularly. With Orlando Ribalta one out from sealing the inning, he walked a key batter after a tense battle, prompting manager Blake Butera to bring in a reliever — a move aimed at protecting Ribalta’s health and optimizing the matchup. The gamble paid off for Philly, as the new pitcher’s counterpart crushed a two-run homer, sealing the win. Despite Ribalta’s low pitch count (just 23), the decision left fans frustrated — especially after the team had nearly swept the series. Now, with just one game left, the Nationals need a miracle to salvage a split against their division rivals. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/94401d3ac2aa98da