Phils making other Nats, not Harper, beat them

Bryce Harper lines a base hit to left field, scoring Michael Taylor to cut the Nationals' deficit to 3-2WASHINGTON -- When the Phillies faced the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park earlier this month, Bryce Harper pummeled Philadelphia pitching.

So prior to this week's three-game series at Nationals Park, the Phillies' baseball brain trust decided on a different strategy: pitch around the left-handed power hitter, who is again tearing up the National League to the tune of a .318 batting average, nine homers and 24 RBIs entering Thursday.

"When [the Nationals] were at our place, he was hitting everything. I don't care if the pitch was a foot off the ground or over his head, he crushed it,"…