WASHINGTON (AP) The Philadelphia Phillies' 48th come-from-behind victory was much easier on the nerves than many of the other 47. Home runs from Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell had the NL East title chasers back in front before the third inning was done.

MVP contender Jimmy Rollins also homered, and the first four batters in the lineup accounted for all but one hit Friday night as the Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 6-3 to keep the pressure on the struggling New York Mets.

The Phillies, who have won eight of nine, began the day 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Mets. New York, which led Philadelphia by seven games on Sept. 12, played Florida on Friday night.

The Phillies lead the majors in come-from-behind wins, but this one wasn't as dramatic as the rally from 6-2 down to beat the Nationals 7-6 the night before. Washington's only lead Friday was a mere 1-0 after one inning, and it was erased when Howard led off the second with his 42nd homer, an opposite field shot that barely cleared the left-field fence.

Chase Utley singled through a drawn-in infield to score Rollins in the third, and Burrell followed with a two-run homer, his 29th, to give the Phillies the lead for good.

Rollins kept pace with his teammate by also hitting No. 29, a solo homer in the fifth. Howard had an RBI double later in the fifth to spot starter Adam Eaton (10-9) a 6-1 lead.

Rollins (2-for-5), Utley (2-for-4), Burrell (1-for-4) and Howard (4-for-4) supplied nine of Philadelphia's 10 hits in a top-heavy attack. The rest of the lineup went 1-for-17.

Eaton got his first victory since July 20, ending a streak of eight winless decisions. He labored early, but the only run he allowed through four innings came on a first-inning bases loaded walk to Austin Kearns. He gave up two more in the fifth on Robert Fick's bases-loaded single and was gone after walking pinch hitter D'Angelo Jimenez on four pitches to start the sixth.

Eaton walked five and allowed five hits over five innings on a night when the Phillies needed him to eat up innings. Philadelphia's relievers pitched seven innings in Thursday's game.

Geoff Geary, J.C. Romero, Tom Gordon and Brett Myers held the Nationals scoreless the rest of the way. Philadelphia's bullpen has allowed only two earned runs over 26 2-3 innings.

Myers worked a perfect ninth for his 19th save in 22 chances.

Nationals starter Shawn Hill (4-5), whom manager Manny Acta proclaimed the ace of the staff, had his worst outing of the year. He pitched 4 2-3 innings - the first time he didn't make it to five - and matched a season-high by allowing six earned runs.

Hill is getting his final starts despite an injury to his non-throwing shoulder that will require surgery after the season.

Notes:@ Nationals LF Wily Mo Pena left the game after being hit by a pitch from Eaton for the second time. Pena was struck in the first and fifth innings, the second time as he started to swing the bat. Umpire Larry Poncino initially signaled a foul ball, but he changed his ruling after Acta showed the umpire the mark on Pena's left wrist. Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel then emerged and had a lengthy argument with Poncino before returning to the dugout. X-rays on Pena's wrist and hand were negative, and he will be listed as day-to-day. ... Utley's third-inning single extended his hitting streak to 16 games. ... Rollins reached the 200-hit mark for the first time in his career with a third-inning single. He had come close the last three years, finishing with 190, 196 and 191.