(Sports Network) - Set to be a free agent at season's end, Adam Dunn has expressed a desire to remain with the Washington Nationals. After his game- winning blast last night, it's tough to think the feeling isn't mutual.
Dunn and his Washington teammates shoot for a series win tonight over the National League East-champion Philadelphia Phillies in the finale of a three- game series that is also the Nationals' final home game of the season.
Dunn belted a 2-0 offering from Phillies reliever Jose Contreras into the seats to begin the bottom of the ninth inning on Tuesday night, lifting the Nationals to a 2-1 victory and a 6-3 mark on this 10-game homestand. Dunn is hitting .264 with 103 RBI this year and is now just two homers away from his fifth career 40-homer season.
"I knew that I was taking early in the count," said Dunn, who picked up his first hit in 10 career at-bats versus Contreras. "When [Contreras] got behind 2-0, I was just going to look for a pitch I could square up."
Raul Ibanez accounted for Philadelphia's lone run with his 16th homer of the season, while shortstop Jimmy Rollins went 1-for-3 in his first start since September 8.
The Phillies, who have lost three of four since an 11-game winning streak, have already clinched home-field advantage throughout the postseason and rested regulars Placido Polanco, Shane Victorino, Carlos Ruiz and Jayson Werth.
Even starter Roy Oswalt left after just five innings despite allowing one unearned run on just two hits.
"He got his work in real good," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "I liked the way he pitched. Our bullpen did a pretty good job. Contreras, of course, gave up a home run there at the end, but that's the first hit that Dunn's had off him."
Joe Blanton will take the hill for the Phillies tonight and is 5-1 with a 3.59 earned run average in 14 starts since the All-Star break. The right-hander hasn't lost since July 21 and picked up a victory over the Mets on Friday after giving up just two runs over seven innings.
Blanton is 8-6 with a 4.94 ERA in 27 starts this year, but has a 6.00 ERA in two starts versus the Nationals without a decision. Lifetime against the franchise, the 29-year-old is just 2-3 with a 6.41 ERA.
Ross Detwiler is eyeing a slot in Washington's 2011 rotation and picked up his first win of the season last Thursday versus the Astros, just the second victory of his 23-game career.
The 24-year-old lefty limited Houston to a pair of runs on seven hits and two walks over six innings in his first start since Aug. 5. He is 1-2 with a 2.52 ERA in seven games this year, including four starts.
Detwiler is 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA in four career games versus the Phillies, including one relief appearance, and held them to a run over 5 1/3 innings without a decision in a start on July 31.
The Phillies have won 11 of the 17 overall meetings with Washington this year, splitting eight games so far at Nationals Park.