(Photo credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)

The Philadelphia Phillies open a two-week playoff push when they visit the Washington Nationals for a two-game series beginning Tuesday.

Philadelphia dropped two of three this past weekend in Atlanta after splitting four home games against them last weekend. The Phillies entered Monday five games behind the Braves for the NL East crown with 12 games remaining on the regular season slate.

However, the Phillies control their own destiny in the wild-card race as they compete with the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks for three spots. The Phillies need to make hay this week with two games in Washington and four at the New York Mets before a closing homestand versus the playoff-bound Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays.

'We've just got to take care of business,' Philadelphia's Bryce Harper said. 'We can't worry about what other teams are doing, especially when you're in this situation. We've got to play better baseball. If we don't, we're not going to be in.'

Washington, meanwhile, is coming off a three-game sweep of the visiting Los Angeles Angels. Known more this season for surrendering late leads than come-from-behind wins, the Nationals rallied late to win each game against the Angels after an 0-7 road trip versus the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.

'We wanted to bounce back from that California trip, and we did,' center fielder Jacob Young said. 'Three pretty gritty wins. Nothing was easy about them, and we found a way to do it, which is something we've been preaching for a while now.'

The Phillies send left-hander Cristopher Sanchez (17-5, 2.79 ERA) against rookie left-hander Jackson Kent (1-4, 6.59) in the opener.

Sanchez is tied for the major league lead in wins and shutouts (one) and is in the top 10 in ERA, innings pitched (187.1) and strikeouts (210). He struggled in his last start, allowing six runs on 10 hits over six innings of an 11-7 win against the Houston Astros.

Sanchez is 4-2 with a 3.99 ERA in 14 games (11 starts) against Washington, including 1-0 with a 4.70 ERA in three starts this season.

Kent will be making his seventh big league start. He is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA over his past two outings.

Kent gave up five runs on eight hits over three-plus innings on Wednesday at San Diego.

'I think right when you get to the big leagues, that's when you really start learning,' Kent said. 'Learning who you are, learning how to get guys out. Every outing, they're going to adjust to me and I have to make adjustments to them.'

J.T. Realmuto hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs as the Phillies salvaged the finale against the Braves 9-4 on Sunday. Alec Bohm broke a tie with a two-run double in the eighth.

'At this point you've got to try to win a game every day,' manager Don Mattingly said. 'Just keep fighting. Get yourself to the finish line.'

The Nationals rallied from a 4-2 deficit with a four-run eighth inning and held on for a 6-5 win on Sunday. Daylen Lile tripled in a run and scored one in the eighth, and Young doubled in the go-ahead run.

--Field Level Media