The Nationals made another attempt to solidify their reeling bullpen late Tuesday night, acquiring right-handed reliever Logan Kensing from the Florida Marlins for Kyle Gunderson, their 48th-round draft pick in 2007.
Kensing had been designated for assignment last week after playing a key role in a pair of late-inning losses, but he had a 4.23 ERA in 48 appearances last year, and he had impressed the Nationals over the past two years. "We like him. He's a guy who has a pretty good arm," manager Manny Acta said. "We've seen him for a couple years in our division, and we're trying to stack up with some power arms and do whatever we can to get this bullpen going."
Acta said Kensing won't have a defined role in the bullpen right away -- the team will instead use him in the middle of games to get accustomed to him. For Kensing, the move meant another chance with a major league team.
"It's always good to still have a job," he said. "Things didn't happen the way I wanted to, really, in Florida, but they gave me another chance to be over here. It's a real good lineup to pitch for."
NATIONALS 4, PHILLIES 1: Washington took a 3-1 lead with two runs in the sixth inning and added another run on Anderson Hernandez's double in the eighth. Kip Wells and Julian Tavarez, splitting the late-inning duties for the first time since manager Manny Acta named them co-closers Tuesday, allowed one hit in two scoreless innings to finish the win.
