Jason Bergmann did everything he possibly could to get his second win since coming back from the minors. He threw seven shutout innings for the second straight start. But unlike the Nationals' 1-0 win over the Mets last week, that wasn't enough this time.

Cole Hamels struck out 11 in seven innings for the Phillies, and this felt like one of those games where the Nationals would get one chance. They did, in the fourth inning, but couldn't do anything with runners on first and third and one out.

That's been a problem for the Nationals all year, but became particularly costly in the ninth inning when the Phillies got a leadoff double off Jon Rauch and Greg Dobbs brought Eric Bruntlett in by blooping a hanging slider to center field.

"Everybody played well enough to win that ballgame," Rauch said, "and I didn't do the job at the end of the game."

If you want to play the what-if game, there's also some material to work with in the ninth inning. Credit Elijah Dukes for drawing a walk off Brad Lidge, especially when he had the patience to take two sliders for strikes and not swing on 2-0 or 3-1 pitches. He then stole second and third (without a sign from the dugout), and Rob Mackowiak drew the second walk in a row off Lidge. But Felipe Lopez swung at Lidge's first pitch, grounding to second.

Manny Acta didn't criticize the decision, saying Lopez would have been a hero if he got the ball through the hole. But with Dukes pulling off a risky move by stealing third and getting the Nationals to a point where a wild pitch ties the game, you'd probably like to see Lopez make Lidge throw a couple pitches there.

One other point to note: Despite struggling at the plate, Jesus Flores continues to show he's developing into a major-league catcher quicker than expected. Bergmann had high praise for the way Flores calls a game and is able to light a fire under a struggling pitcher with a few words. He also made a sensational play in the ninth inning, blocking the plate and tagging out Dobbs to end the inning and prevent the Phillies from scoring a second run.

In fact, the entire relay on that play worked well, from Lastings Milledge making a silding stop to prevent Shane Victorino's double from going to the wall, Cristian Guzman coming out to the outfield grass to take the relay and firing a strike to the plate, and Flores blocking Dobbs from getting his foot to the bag.

Series finale is tomorrow at 7:10 p.m. -- Matt Chico making the spot start against Jamie Moyer.