Moyer wins 250th career game as Phillies beat woeful Nationals 4-2

Moyer wins 250th career game in Phillies victory

PHILADELPHIA — Jamie Moyer went six strong innings to win his 250th career game, and the Philadelphia Phillies won their third straight, 4-2 over the bumbling Washington Nationals on Sunday.

The 46-year-old Moyer is the 44th player to win 250 games, and only the 11th left-hander to join the exclusive list. It was his sixth try at 250 after going winless in his last five outings while allowing 38 hits and 26 earned runs in 24 1-3 innings.

But Moyer (4-5) had one his best starts of the season Sunday, striking out four and walking none while registering a season-low hits allowed. It was Moyer’s first win since April 26.

Brad Lidge pitched a scoreless ninth to record his 12th save.

The Phillies (28-20) have won seven straight against Washington and 10 of 12 this season against major league baseball’s worst team.

Josh Willingham homered twice for the Nationals (13-36), who have lost six in a row and 15 of their last 17.

Philadelphia took a 1-0 lead in the first on Chase Utley’s double that scored Shane Victorino. Chris Coste’s second-inning homer to left made it 2-0.

Willingham homered to left in the fourth to pull Washington within 2-1, but Philadelphia got the run back in the bottom of the frame when Raul Ibanez scored on a fielder’s choice.

Willingham led off the seventh with his second homer, this one to deep left field, off reliever Clay Condrey to close the margin again to 3-2. Once again, the Phillies came back with a run in the bottom of the frame, as Ryan Howard tripled to center — his second triple of the season — to score Utley and put Philadelphia ahead 4-2.

John Lannan (2-5) allowed only four hits in five innings while striking out seven, but fell to 0-3 in three career starts at Citizens Bank Park.