Recap: Philadelphia vs. Washington

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Domonic Brown smacked a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 5-4 victory over the Washington Nationals Monday in the opener of a three- game set at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies led 4-3 heading into the ninth, but closer Jonathan Papelbon served up a two-out, two-strike homer to Chad Tracy to tie the game.

The offense quickly picked up Papelbon (1-0) in the bottom half, as Ben Revere ripped a leadoff single and moved to third two batters later on Jimmy Rollins' base hit to left.

After pinch-hitter Steven Lerud fanned for the second out, Brown looped a 2-2 offering from Fernando Abad (0-2) back up the middle to plate the deciding run.

"It was big," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said of Brown's hit. "He stayed on the lefty good. We got the right results."

Brown was mired in a 3-for-25 slump coming into the game.

"It was tough. I guess he hit a changeup. He left it a little bit up. That was the ball game," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said.

Ryan Howard went 3-for-3 with a solo homer and two RBI, while Delmon Young added a two-run double to help the Phillies snap a two-game slide.

"We're trying to get some games on the Nats. It feels good to come out and get a win, especially after the long road trip," Brown said.

Jayson Werth, Ian Desmond and Steve Lombardozzi each knocked in a run for the Nationals, who have dropped three of their last four games.

Papelbon's first blown save of the season spoiled a solid start from former National John Lannan, who was activated off the 15-day disabled list prior to the game to face his former club.

Lannan, who spent his first six seasons in Washington before signing with the Phillies in the offseason, held the Nats to two runs on six hits over five effective innings.

The veteran left-hander gave up a run in the first on Werth's RBI single to left, but the Phils got the run back in the second when Howard launched a leadoff blast into the second deck in right field to make it 1-1.

The Phillies then pulled ahead in the third, as Michael Young scorched a one- out triple before Rollins and Howard worked back-to-back walks.

After Brown fanned, Delmon Young looped a double into shallow right field that landed just out of the reach of a diving Werth, allowing Michael Young and Rollins to race home for a 3-1 lead.

The Nats got the run back in the fourth when Kurt Suzuki and Lombardozzi smacked consecutive doubles, with the latter plating the former to bring the visitors within 3-2.

Philadelphia tacked on an insurance run in the fifth, as Revere smacked a leadoff single and stole second before scoring on Howard's two-out base hit through the right side of the infield to make it 4-2.

Washington cut into the lead in the eighth when Zimmerman stroked a one-out double, moved to third on a groundout and scored on Desmond's two-out single back up the middle to pull the Nats within 4-3.

Papelbon had Tracy in an 0-2 count with two outs in the ninth, but the lefty slugger fouled off back-to-back pitches before lifting a fly ball into the first row in right field to tie the game.