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Rhys Hoskins has worn a two-sided flap helmet ever since he broke his jaw by fouling a pitch off his face.

Any chance the Philadelphia Phillies slugger keeps it on all season?

You bet Anthony Zettel Jersey , Hoskins says. His numbers have been jaw-dropping in the three weeks since he returned, and he’s superstitious enough not to mess with a good thing.

”I was able to step back, simplify things, and it’s going well,” Hoskins said.

Aaron Nola pitched into the eighth inning to win his 10th game of the season, Hoskins homered again and the Philadelphia Phillies started a pivotal division series by beating the Washington Nationals 4-3 on Thursday night.

Hoskins hit a two-run shot in the seventh inning for his 13th home run of the year and a 4-1 lead that propelled the Phillies within two games of idle Atlanta for first place the NL East. The Phillies took two of three last weekend in Washington, and both teams entered this four-game set within striking distance of the Braves.

”We keep inching closer to the Braves, and it’s a good division,” Nola said. ”I think it’s going to be a battle to the end.”

Nola, who beat the Nationals in his last outing, pitched again like an All-Star and hasn’t lost in six turns since May 26. Nola (10-2) struck out eight and walked only two over 114 pitches and 7 2/3 sensational innings. He has won seven straight decisions at home dating to last season.

”I think it’s everything. The fans, the mound Nick Bellore Jersey ,” Nola said. ”It just feels good.”

Nola got Bryce Harper swinging to open the game and fanned Trea Turner with runners on the corners to end the sixth. Washington pinch-hitter Brian Goodwin went down looking to end the seventh, Nola’s seventh strikeout of the game. Harper struck out swinging again in the eighth.

Adam Morgan relieved Nola and retired the last batter in the eighth. Tommy Hunter allowed two runs in the ninth on an RBI single by Turner and an RBI double by Michael A. Taylor, before Seranthony Dominguez got the final two outs for his sixth save.

JUNE SWOON

Pedro Severino had an RBI double in the second for a 1-0 lead and the first run for the Nationals since Sunday. They were outscored 12-0 in a two-game set at Toronto earlier this week.

”We’re going to snap out of this. We really are,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. ”We had a couple of chances to score some runs. We couldn’t do it.”

The Phillies tied the game in the second when the center fielder Taylor overran Jorge Alfaro’s single up the middle. That allowed Maikel Franco to score, and Scott Kingery made it 2-1 on a sacrifice fly off Nationals starter Tanner Roark (3-9) in the third.

Roark struck out five while allowing only one earned run over six innings for the Nationals, who fell to 4-12 since June 9.

HUNGRY HOSKINS

Franco had two doubles and Hoskins hit one for a Phillies team that followed two straight losses to the New York Yankees with its second straight victory.

Hoskins, who became the fastest Phillie on Wednesday to reach 30 career homers, in 119 games played, continued his leadership of the lineup since he was reinstated from the disabled list on June 9. The Phillies have won 11 of 17 since he returned and are 41-29 overall in games Hoskins has played.

Hoskins ate a burger this week for the first time since he was hurt in late May. He’s feasted on the opposition all month.

”The thing that stands out the most to be will always be how he manages an at-bat for a young player,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said. ”The home runs are impressive. There’s no question about it. The power production is impressive.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Nationals: RHP Stephen Strasburg (shoulder) could throw a bullpen session over the weekend. He played catch before Thursday’s game. … 3B Ryan Zimmerman (back) could begin a rehab assignment next week.

Phillies: RHP Jerad Eickhoff (nerve) threw a bullpen session and will head to Florida for live batting practice. … RHP Pat Neshek (shoulder), who has not pitched yet this season, will make a rehab outing Friday at Double-A Reading.

UP NEXT

Nationals: RHP Erick Fedde (0-3 Mikko Rantanen Jersey , 5.32 ERA) makes his second straight start against the Phillies.

Phillies: RHP Nick Pivetta (4-6, 4.06 ERA) goes for his first career win against the Nationals in three career starts.

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Justin Turner hit Los Angeles‘ seventh home run of the game, a go-ahead drive in the 11th inning that lifted the Dodgers over the New York Mets 8-7 on Sunday.

Cody Bellinger and Kike Hernandez each homered twice as the Dodgers beat the Mets for the 12th straight time dating to 2016. Max Muncy and Joc Pederson also connected for Los Angeles. Hernandez and Muncy led off the game with back-to-back shots.

The Mets matched a team record for the most homers allowed in a game, and lost their sixth in a row overall.

Turner, a former Met, homered off Chris Flexen (0-1) with two outs to put the Dodgers up for good. Los Angeles had squandered a 7-4 lead in the eighth when Kevin Plawecki hit a tying three-run shot.

Daniel Hudson (2-2) picked up the victory with two scoreless innings.

INDIANS 12, TIGERS 2

CLEVELAND (AP) – Edwin Encarnacion hit an eighth-inning grand slam, helping the Indians to their season-high seventh straight win.

Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez and Jason Kipnis also connected for Cleveland, which outscored Detroit 26-3 in the three-game sweep. Ramirez finished with three hits, extending his streak of reaching base to 31 consecutive games.

Adam Plutko (4-1) pitched six innings of two-run ball, becoming the second rookie starter to beat the Tigers in the series. Shane Bieber pitched seven innings in Friday night’s 12-0 win.

Tigers starter Matthew Boyd (4-6) allowed a season-high six runs in three-plus innings in his shortest outing of the season.

Detroit has lost five straight overall and is 3-10 against Cleveland this season.

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BOSTON (AP) – Chris Sale struck out 13 over seven dazzling innings and Mitch Moreland hit a two-run homer, leading Boston to the victory.

Sale (7-4) gave up four hits and walked one. Joe Kelly and Matt Barnes each pitched an inning to complete the four-hitter.

Jackie Bradley Jr. had three singles and Rafael Devers added an RBI double for Boston, which struggled offensively in a 7-2 loss Saturday night after putting up 14 runs and 20 hits in the series opener.

The Mariners fell to 1-5 on their 10-game East Coast trip. Marco Gonzales (7-5) gave up five runs in six innings.

REDS 8, CUBS 6

CINCINNATI (AP) – Pitcher Michael Lorenzen and Jesse Winker connected for pinch-hit homers in Cincinnati’s seven-run seventh inning, sending the Reds to their seventh straight victory.

Lorenzen’s homer was the third of his career and second in two games by a Reds pitcher. Anthony DeSclafani hit a grand slam on Saturday – the first by a Reds pitcher since 1959.

Jackson Stephens (1-0) got the win as the Reds completed a four-game sweep of the Cubs for the first time in 25 years. Raisel Iglesias worked the ninth for his 13th save.

Anthony Rizzo and Albert Almora Jr. homered for Chicago, and Pedro Strop (3-1) got the loss.

RAYS 7, YANKEES 6, 12 INNINGS

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Rookie Jake Bauers led off the 12th inning with a home run, finishing off Tampa Bay’s three-game sweep.

The Yankees also lost catcher Gary Sanchez when he pulled up while running out a double-play grounder in the 10th. Manager Aaron Boone said Sanchez hurt his right groin/hip abductor and is probably headed for the disabled list.

Giancarlo Stanton homered while going 5 for 5 for New York. The Yankees had been the only team in the majors that hadn’t lost three in a row this year.

Bauers connected on the first pitch from Chasen Shreve (2-2). Ryan Yarbrough (7-3) pitched an inning for the win.

BRAVES 7, ORIOLES 3

ATLANTA (AP) – Freddie Freeman hit a two-run single in the first, pinch-hitter Dansby Swanson belted a two-run homer in the eighth and the Braves earned their first win over the Orioles in six years.

Baltimore won the first two games of the series and swept the last set between the teams in 2015. Atlanta ended a stretch of seven straight losses to the Orioles since 2012.

Mark Trumbo and Trey Mancini homered for Baltimore. David Hess (2-4) gave up five runs in four innings.

Braves right-hander Brandon McCarthy (6-3) yielded three runs in five innings.

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PITTSBURGH (AP) – Clay Buchholz pitched five solid innings before leaving with an injury, and the Diamondbacks completed a four-game sweep of the Pirates.

Buchholz (2-1) retired his first 11 batters before Starling Marte doubled down the right-field line with two out in the fourth inning. Despite throwing just 53 pitches, he was pulled after experiencing tightness in his left side.

The injury occurred on a swing in the fifth. Buchholz called the early exit ”more precautionary.”

David Peralta hit a two-run homer for Arizona, and John Ryan Murphy also went deep. Brad Boxberger worked the ninth for his 17th save.

Pirates right-hander Trevor Williams (6-5) allowed three runs in six innings.

CARDINALS 8, BREWERS 2

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Luke Weaver won for the first time in eight starts and Jose Martinez hit a three-run homer for St. Louis.

Weaver (4-6) allowed two runs, both in the first, and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out a season-high nine in his first victory since May 11.

Martinez’s 11th homer capped a five-run fourth that made it 6-2 Cardinals.

Christian Yelich homered for the NL Central-leading Brewers. Jhoulys Chacin (6-3) allowed a season-high eight runs in 4 1/3 innings.

TWINS 2, RANGERS 0

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Jose Berrios struck out a career-best 12 in seven innings, and the Twins beat Bartolo Colon and the Rangers.

Eddie Rosario had two hits for Minnesota, which snapped a three-game losing st