Foster The People: Nationals 13, Phillies 2

Mar 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Nationals left fielder James Wood (29) slides safely into home ahead of tag by Philadelphia Phillies catcher Rafael Marchán (13) during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images The Nationals’ starting pitcher tonight, Foster Griffin, recently returned stateside from his years with the Yomiuri Giants of Tokyo. By taking that journey, Griffin followed in the footsteps of Lafcadio Hearn, a resident of New Orleans who moved to Japan and became the author of the collection of ghost stories and tall tales known as Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things.

This subtitle could also apply to the events of tonight’s game. The start was inauspicious, and then unpleasant, and then outright ugly. Taijuan Walker walked James Wood, and a light hit up the third base line gave Luis García Jr a double that was gentle on the ball, and less so on Phillies’ fans stomachs.

A subsequent ball to Edmundo Sosa at second became an RBI when he threw it home in a thwarted attempt to stop a sliding Wood, and a ball hit through the left-side gap by CJ Abrams scored the second run. The fact that many of the hits were on light contact was cold comfort. Drew Millas gently blooped one to shallow center, loading the bases.

The next batter, José Vivas, hit it to about the same spot, but a little harder, and was rewarded with an RBI. A sac fly put the fourth run on the board in a sour inning. Then the sour became the absurd.