Washington, DC (My Sportsbook) - Jimmy Rollins went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored and extended his franchise-record hitting streak to 36 games, as the Philadelphia Phillies pounded the Washington Nationals, 9-3, at RFK Stadium.

The game marked the season finale for both teams, although, Philadelphia nearly extended its year by at least one more game.

The Phillies (88-74) came into the contest trailing Houston by one game for the NL wild card lead. With a win and an Astros' loss to the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, the Phillies would have forced a one-game playoff with Houston. However, the Astros beat the Cubs, 6-4, to seal the wild card and end the Phillies' playoff hopes.

Kenny Lofton drove in three runs for the Phillies, who swept the three-game series with Washington and closed the regular season out with four straight wins.

Rollins, meanwhile, secured the longest hitting streak in the majors since Paul Molitor hit safely in 39 straight in 1987.

Jon Lieber (17-13) picked up the win, allowing three runs and six hits in seven innings. He struck out eight batters and walked three to win for the fifth time in six decisions.

Ryan Church smacked a three-run homer for the Nationals (81-81), who ended the season with three straight losses.

Hector Carrasco (5-4) was handed the loss after allowing four runs in five innings.

The Phillies opened the scoring with a run in the fourth. Rollins extended his streak with a leadoff single. He moved to second on a groundout and took third on a wild pitch before scoring on Bobby Abreu's sacrifice fly to center.

Philadelphia went ahead 4-0 with a two-out rally in the fifth. Todd Pratt started things with a single and Lieber drew a walk. Rollins ripped a double off the wall in right to drive in Pratt and Lofton plated two more with another two-base hit to the gap in left-center.

Pratt's RBI single in the sixth inning staked the Phillies to a 5-0 advantage.

Church's homer in the home sixth would cut the lead to two runs. Jose Guillen doubled leading off and Nick Johnson walked before Church stepped to the plate with one out and drove a 1-0 pitch over the wall in right.

The score remained that way until Philadelphia tacked on four more in the ninth. Abreu plated a run with a double and scored on a base hit by Ryan Howard. Rollins was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Lofton reached on an infield single to make it 9-3.

Phillies closer Billy Wagner entered the game with two outs in the eighth inning and eventually recorded his 38th save.

Game Notes

The Phillies won the season series, 11-8...Philadelphia ended the season with a 42-39 record on the road, while the Nationals went 41-40 at home...Church's homer was his ninth of the season...The Phillies haven't been to the postseason since 1993.