PHILADELPHIA -- Jordan Zimmermann and a pair of defensive gems were enough to keep Washingtons post-season hopes flickering. Justin Jackson Hoodie . Zimmermann became the National Leagues first 16-game winner, pitching seven solid innings to lead the Washington Nationals past the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 Wednesday night. Zimmermann (16-8) struck out five, walked one and allowed two runs in winning his fourth straight start. Ryan Zimmermans solo shot off Phillies reliever Zach Miner in the seventh inning tied the game at 2. Jake Diekman (1-4) walked the leadoff batter in the eighth, then allowed pinch-runner Jeff Kobernus to score on a fielders choice for the winning run. The Nationals sat outfielder Bryce Harper to rest his ailing hip. They are still barely alive behind Cincinnati for the second wild-card spot "We dont think were out of it yet," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said. The Phillies wasted a chance to tie the game in the eighth with runners on first and third and one out. Craig Stammen struck out Darin Ruf and the ball scooted away from catcher Jhonatan Solano on strike three. Chase Utley was tagged out on a mad dash for home by a lunging Solano for the strike em out-tag em out double play. "It was a great play. Thats how we won the game," Stammen said. Zimmermann got out of his own jam in the seventh thanks to a fantastic defensive play. Cesar Hernandez hit a grounder into the hole that second baseman Steve Lombardozzi fielded and one-hopped to Zimmerman at the bag for the third out to prevent the tying run from scoring. "I knew I had to scoop it and keep my feet on the bag at the same time," the pitcher said. Rafael Soriano worked the ninth for his 38th save. Phillies starter Roy Halladay survived a miserable first inning to end up allowing three hits over six innings. Four months after right shoulder surgery, this certainly wasnt vintage Halladay. He walked five and hit two batters. He laboured through a 29-pitch first inning. But the two-time Cy Young Award winner struck out five after fanning four combined in his last two starts. He settled down after he hit or walked five of the first 10 batters he faced. And he kept the Phillies in the game. "It took me a little bit to find the right balance, mechanically," Halladay said. "Thats going to be a little bit of a battle at times." Labouring to hit 90 mph with his fastball, Halladay allowed the first three batters of the game to reach, then gave up a sacrifice fly. Wilson Ramos hit into a double play to end the rally and keep Halladay in the game. He caught another break in the sixth. After retiring the first two batters, Halladay loaded the bases with two outs. Johnson decided to leave Zimmermann in the game, instead of pinch-hitting for his starter after 77 pitches. Zimmermann was retired and Halladay walked off to an ovation. "I was feeling sorry for him the first couple of innings," Johnson said. "Then I started to hate him as he went along." Halladay left with a 2-1 lead thanks to Hernandezs two-run double in the second inning. "His innings got better with the lead," Phillies interim manager Ryne Sandberg said. "The Nationals at-bats started to change a little bit." Clearly struggling with his velocity, Halladay went with the soft stuff for most of his final four innings, and had the most effective of his three outings since returning from a rehab assignment. He is a free agent at the end of the season and wants to prove to the Phillies, or any team, that he can still be a reliable starter. Hell have three or four more starts in the final month to prove he can come close to his former All-Star form. "I think if put in the work and put in the time, I can have those results," he said. NOTES: The Nationals will start RHP Tanner Roark on Saturday against Miami, meaning RHP Stephen Strasburg will likely go Sunday on six days rest. Roark had been pitching in long relief. ... Halladay made his 100th start for the Phillies. ... Denard Spans leadoff single extended his hitting streak to 17 games, the longest for the Nationals this season. Chargers Hoodies Jerseys Sale . -- Having already fallen behind because of the NFL lockout, Blaine Gabbert couldnt afford a lengthy holdout. Derwin James Hoodie . - Tom Brady was upset that his New England Patriots hardly looked like a division champion in the first half. http://www.cheapchargershoodiesjerseys.com/dylan-cantrell-hoodie/ . The team said Saturday that the 36-year-old Robidas is expected to miss four to six months, jeopardizing his return this season. He was injured when he slid hard into the boards in the second period of a 2-1 shootout loss to Chicago on Friday. TORONTO -- Jonas Valanciunas cherished the chance to think about nothing but basketball Wednesday night. The Raptors sophomore centre cast aside his off-court troubles to score a career-high 26 points and grab 12 rebounds in Torontos 125-114 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers -- less than three days after he was charged with drunk driving. "It has been a rough couple of days, but I had to find energy to come out and fight. I felt really good fan support -- thank you to them. I felt great, because everybody supported me," said Valanciunas, addressing the media for the first time since his arrest early Monday morning. "I say sorry, and (am) learning to be better. "Its been a really good two-and-a half hours (playing)," he added. Kyle Lowry topped Toronto (46-32) with 29 points in his first game back after missing three with a bruised kneecap. Patrick Patterson finished with 17 in the Raptors fourth straight victory and seventh in eight outings. DeMar DeRozan added 17 points before leaving the game with a minute to play with a nasty gash over his left eye that required three stitches. The swirling trouble surrounding Valanciunas didnt show in his game. He scored the Raptors first points of the night, then grabbed a rebound on the Sixers first shot, and scored on a thunderous dunk on a pass from DeRozan on Torontos next trip down the floor. "I expected it," Lowry said. "He was going to play like trash or he was going to play amazing. And he played amazing like we expected. "Its a tough situation for him to handle, but this is our sanctuary, basketball. We get a chance to be away from everything and basketball is our space, our secret spot. Thats where guys can release a lot of energy and intensity." Henry Sims scored 22 points, Michael Carter-Williams added 19, and Thaddeus Young finished with 16 for the Sixers (17-61). The Raptors are headed for the post-season for the first time in six years, and a victory on Friday versus the visiting New York Knicks will clinch the Atlantic Division. It will also tie their franchise record for wins of 47 -- set in 2000-01 and 2006-07. But the Raptors were coming off a tougher-than-expected 102-98 win over the last-place Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, and the lowly Sixers -- who recently tied the league record for most consecutive defeats with 26 -- gave Toronto a decent game for much of the night. "These are the dog days, teams that dont have anything to play for, our guys see the computer, they see the standings and all the records. But we cant play that way," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "I told them weve got to pick our defence up and not have the mental letdown." The Raptors led by only a point midway through the third quarter before taking a 98-89 advantage into the fourth in front of an Air Canada Centre crowd of 18,789. "I think for the most part we went out there and played a solid game, (the Raptors) are a good team," Young said. "They are a playoff contending team, third in the East, they have proven it day in and day out. They have a lot of key guys that can make shots and score the basketball. Kyzir White Hoodie. " The Sixers trailed by just six points with 2:44 to play after Young drained a 17-foot fadeaway jumper. But Lowry proved once again how valuable he is down the stretch, sinking consecutive baskets to give the Raptors a 10-point lead with 1:52 to play, and the Sixers never threatened again. "Im just happy to be back out there with my teammates, honestly," Lowry said. "When you miss games you feel that you are letting the team down and its great to be back out there with the fellas." There were questions about Valanciunas playing Wednesday in the wake of his arrest, and Casey was asked pre-game about what message that sends. "We sent a message," Casey replied. "We sent a message that we dont condone it, were disappointed in him. By playing him, were not saying were condoning it." Valanciunas was arrested early Monday morning in Wasaga Beach, Ont., and charged with having more than 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. Police say they began investigating after a report that a vehicle went through a drive-thru with open beer bottles visible. DeRozan was pleased Valanciunas "came up big" against the Sixers. "I hope everybody leaves him alone," DeRozan said. "(His game) just shows you hes not letting everything else affect him, everything thats going on, or the situation that happened. Hes just going out there playing, he did what he did, its over with, he apologized to us, and understands whats at stake." Valanciunass first court appearance is scheduled for Collingwood on April 22. The 21-year-old is not required to attend so a lawyer will stand in for him. He could receive a suspension from the NBA, but that would be pending the results of a trial which would likely be during the off-season. Raptors starting forward Amir Johnson missed his fourth game with an ankle injury. Casey said the hardworking forward, who has long battled bad ankles, isnt 100 per cent, but "hes pretty close." "Probably if he had to go tonight he probably could go, but again, were trying to make sure, trying to get him ready for the next couple of weeks," Casey added. The Raptors led for all but a few seconds of the first quarter, and went up by nine points when Lowry converted a three-point play with 23 seconds left. A three-pointer by Elliot Williams cut Torontos advantage to 34-28 heading into the second. The Raptors continued to build on their lead, and Pattersons three-pointer with just under three minutes to go in the second put Toronto up 62-49. The Raptors went into the dressing room at halftime up 68-60. The Sixers opened the third with a 17-10 run, capped by Andersons three-pointer with 6:23 to go that cut the Raptors lead to just a point. The Raptors finished the quarter with a run of their own to give themselves a nine-point lead with a quarter to go. NOTES: The Raptors host the New York Knicks on Friday, then play the Pistons in Detroit on Sunday. They host Milwaukee on Monday then play their regular-season finale next Wednesday at Detroit. 23:08ET 09-04-14 Cheap Nuggets Jerseys Cheap Timberwolves Jerseys Cheap Thunder Jerseys Cheap Blazers Jerseys Cheap Jazz Jerseys Cheap Warriors Jerseys Cheap Clippers Jerseys Cheap Lakers Jerseys Cheap Suns Jerseys Cheap Kings Jerseys Cheap Mavericks Jerseys Cheap Rockets Jerseys Cheap Grizzlies Jerseys Cheap Pelicans Jerseys Cheap Spurs Jerseys Cheap Thunder Jerseys Cheap 76ers Jerseys Cheap Knicks Jerseys Cheap Raptors Jerseys Cheap Pistons Jerseys Cheap Team USA Basketball Jerseys ' ' '