Rhys Hoskins hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the sixth inning and Jerad Eickhoff and four relievers shut down a decimated Washington lineup as the host Philadelphia Phillies beat the Nationals 4-2 on Friday.

The Nationals are now 1-9 in the first game of a series this year, as Hector Neris pitched the ninth for his fifth save while the Phillies won for the fifth time in six games. Neris fanned Michael A. Taylor for the last out with a runner on.

The winning rally started as Jean Segura reached on an infield single with one out and Bryce Harper followed with a walk against his former team in the bottom of the sixth.

Hoskins then hit a 1-1 pitch from lefty reliever Dan Jennings (0-1) well over the fence in left for a three-run shot and a 4-2 lead. That was the 10th homer of the year for Hoskins.

Eickhoff lasted five innings but allowed just one run on three hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.

Washington starter Jeremy Hellickson fanned five in a row at one point. He went 5 1/3 innings and gave up four hits and two runs against his former team while striking out nine. That was the most since he fanned nine at the Los Angeles Angels in 2017.

Eickhoff was replaced in the sixth by Seranthony Dominguez (3-0), who gave up a solo homer with one out to Kurt Suzuki as the Nationals took a 2-1 lead. The reliever allowed one run in one inning with two strikeouts.

Segura, hitting second in the Phillies lineup, hit a solo homer off Hellickson to make it 1-0 in the first.

The Nationals tied the score in the third as Hellickson led off with a walk, went to second on a single by Adam Eaton and scored on an RBI single by Howie Kendrick.

Washington left fielder Juan Soto did not start again Friday, as he is dealing with back spasms. It was the third game in a row that he missed. Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon and Trea Turner are on the injured list for the struggling Nationals, who lost for the 10th time in 14 games.

--Field Level Media