Phillies turn getaway day into giveaway day at Nationals Park | Bob Brookover

WASHINGTON – Even as the Phillies invented exotic ways of congratulating each other after long home runs and executed their first 4-0 start in more than a century, it was important to remember some things: it could not last forever, the Phillies have some flaws, and the rest of the National League East is still pretty darn good.

And, so, the Phillies (4-1) finally lost Wednesday afternoon, as the Washington Nationals showed off their own pool of young talent and rallied from both an early deficit and a late one for a 9-8, walk-off victory at Nationals Park.

The Phillies finally made their first errors of the season. In fact, they made three of them. The first two did no damage, but the third one – an eighth-inning miscue by first baseman Rhys Hoskins – proved to be a buzz kill in the bottom of the eighth, after Andrew McCutchen’s three-run double and Jean Segura’s RBI single gave them a two-run lead in the top of the inning.

Pitching, to the objective observer, figured to be the Phillies’ weakest link. But manager Gabe Kapler had no reason to be concerned about staff ace Aaron Nola coming into the season and little reason to think the back end of his bullpen was anything other than a strength.

Neither was true Wednesday.

Nola’s afternoon was over after three innings, matching the shortest outing of his major-league career. The Phillies’ explosive offense, which has scored eight runs or more in four of five games, gave him a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, and he gave up three runs in the bottom of the first.

Anthony Rendon sent a 1-1 fastball into the left-field seats and, after 20-year-old superstar Juan Soto doubled on a 0-2 pitch, veteran Ryan Zimmerman connected for a two-run home run on a 1-1 changeup. Two innings later, after a walk to Rendon, Nola left an 0-2 fastball in the middle of the plate, and Soto blasted a three-run homer far over the wall in center field.

“I stunk today,” Nola said. “I couldn’t really find the zone efficiently. The breaking ball was hanging up there. I left some changeups up. I couldn’t put Soto away with two strikes both times I faced him. I get to two strikes, I’ve got to put guys away.”

Nola’s 63 pitches were the fewest he has thrown in 95 career starts. He left the game with a 7.00 earned run average, the highest it has ever been following one of his starts. He has also walked seven batters in two games, an uncharacteristically high number for one of baseball’s best control artists. He was more bothered by the two walks Wednesday than the career-high five he issued opening day.

“The walks today were not as competitive as opening day,” he said. “Opening day, I’ll take those walks. I didn’t really miss by much. But walks are still walks, and today they hurt me.”

Nola will get another shot against the Nationals next week at Citizens Bank Park.

Reliever David Robertson is hoping to get back on the mound before then. He was the man in the visiting clubhouse who felt most responsible for the defeat, and his 18.00 ERA after his first three appearances with his new team is a statistical eyesore.

“I’ve been [stinking] out there, that’s for sure,” Robertson said. “I throw it over the plate, it gets hit. Not throwing strikes, walking guys, putting guys on, giving them every chance to score runs. I’m pitching like crap. I’m very frustrated with myself and itching for another outing.”

Honesty is the best policy.

Robertson, the Phillies’ primary bullpen acquisition this offseason, failed to get an out, which is not the recommended formula for the start of a two-year deal worth $23 million. Facing the heart of the Nationals’ explosive order, Robertson surrendered a leadoff single to Rendon before issuing three straight walks to Soto, Zimmerman, and pinch-hitter Jake Noll.

It was the first time since Sept. 6, 2012, that Robertson did not register at least one out. He had gone 401 relief appearances since then.

“It’s probably three of the worst outings I’ve ever put together,” Robertson said. “Fortunately, we won the last two games, but I’m pretty hard on myself, and if I keep going out there and pitching like crap, I’ll have to figure something out.”

Hoskins also was willing to raise his hand and take blame for the Phillies’ first loss of the season. With two outs and the Phillies holding a one-run lead in the bottom of the eighth, Seranthony Dominguez fielded a ground ball in front of the mound and threw to first base for what should have been the final out of the inning. Dominguez did not field the ball cleanly and appeared to throw a bit of a changeup to Hoskins, but the first baseman insisted he was the only one to blame.

“He hesitated a little bit, but I still had plenty of time to catch the ball,” Hoskins said. “Clanked it. Have to catch it. I missed it.”

And it allowed the Nationals to tie the game on an unearned run.

“One thing that stands out to me today is that we had three guys not have their best games in Aaron, Rhys, and David, and they are all three guys that I would push all my chips in right now that are going to help us win a ton of baseball games,” Kapler said. “I acknowledge that, and we move on.”

Still, getaway day turned into giveaway day for the Phillies, and that’s never easy to take -- even when you’re off to an otherwise outstanding start.