A week and a half ago, it looked like the Washington Nationals were destined for another last place season. But a recent six-game winning streak has the team positioned fourth in the National League East and only three games under .500.
Second baseman Danny Espinosa won the most recent game June 16 game with a walk-off three-run home run off of St. Louis Cardinals reliever Fernando Salas. The rookie now has 12 homers on the season.
“He’s just a dynamic, electric player,” Nationals Manager Jim Riggleman said after the game. “It was huge to put a little pressure on him.”
The Nats led off the game just like they had in the first two games of this series: with strong offense. New leadoff hitter, right fielder Jayson Werth, hit a home run in the bottom of the first inning as the first hitter of the game for the Nationals. Center fielder Roger Bernadina followed suit with a solo shot over the fence in right field. It was the second day in a row that Washington hit back-to-back home runs.
Cardinals’ left fielder Matt Holliday was activated from the disabled list before Thursday night’s game and promptly hit his seventh home run of the season in his first at bat, making it a 2-1 Nationals’ lead.
The Cardinals tied the game in the top of the fourth when catcher Yadier Molina hit into a fielder’s choice to second base, allowing first baseman Albert Pujols to score.
Nationals’ first baseman Michael Morse continued his hot hitting in the bottom of the fourth, hitting a double to right center field and later scoring on a single by second baseman Danny Espinosa. Morse pushed the Nats up to a 3-2 lead.
Washington left fielder Laynce Nix hit his 10th home run of the season to right field, making it a 4-2 game.
Pujols then hit a solo shot of his own in the top of the ninth to cut the Nats’ lead to one.
Molina tied the game in the top of the ninth inning, hitting a solo home run of his own to the visitors’ left field bullpen in left field. The blown save was Nationals’ closer Drew Storen’s second in 18 chances this season.
But the Nats came back as third baseman Ryan Zimmerman led off the 10th inning with a single up the middle. Morse was then hit by a pitch, bringing Espinosa to the plate to end the game with a three-run shot to right field.
The seven runs the Nats scored Thursday were their least yet in a game this series, as they totaled 25 runs against St. Louis.
But it wasn’t just the offense that allowed them to win. The Nats also got a solid outing out of left hander John Lannan, who pitched seven innings, allowing six hits and two runs and recording two strikeouts.
“John was outstanding,” Riggleman said. “That’s a tough lineup. They lead the National League in hitting and our pitchers did a great job with them.”
