Desmond's Walk-Off Gives Nats 5th Straight Curly W

Summer is heating up and so are the Washington Nationals.  Winners of four in a row, they looked to win their fifth straight last night against the Braves in front of a big crowd at Nationals Park for Virginia Tech-UVA college rivalry day.  Last night's game was a pitchers duel as Braves pitcher Shelby Miller allowed only three hits in seven innings.  Over on the Nats side, Jordan Zimmermann pitched a gem of his own, throwing eight shutout innings and allowing six hits.  It meant the Nationals starting pitchers haven't allowed a run in 34 1/3 innings which is a franchise record. 

In the bottom of the seventh the Nats were the first to score as Bryce Harper hit a blooper single over second baseman Jace Peterson's head into right field to score Denard Span.  Drew Storen came in the ninth but couldn't close out the game as Atlanta tied it with a sacrifice fly.  The game would go to extra innings.

In the bottom of the 10th, Harper got on with a double but got shaken up.  He nearly got taken out of the game but Harper told manager Matt Williams he wanted to stay in.  Williams listened.  After the bases got loaded, Ian Desmond came to the plate.  Desmond was struggling all season long and looked to put that all behind him.  He did.  Desmond hit a ball deep enough in left field for the sacrifice fly to score Harper and give the Nats the 2-1 win, their fifth in a row. 

"It felt good to win," Desmond said.  "I contributed.  Whether I get hits or whatever, I feel like I bring something to the team every day.  The box score might not say that, but I know what I bring to the team.  It felt good to drive a run in there.  We still have a lot of time to play.  Whether I get hits or not, there are other ways to contribute."

The Nats are now 3.5 games ahead of the Mets in first place in the NL East.  After the game teammates mobbed Desmond and Max Scherzer, you guessed it, showered him in chocolate syrup.  Desmond was glad he came through on an emotional night at the park, after bench coach Randy Knorr lost his wife Kimberly.  Knorr was one of Desmond's first coaches in the big leagues, he managed him back when Desmond was in Single-A Savannah.  

He dedicated the win to Knorr and in the walk-off at bat, he wore Randy Knorr's helmet.  "I can't say, words can't describe it," added, Desmond.  "This guy has been there for me since I was 18.  We've been through a lot together… I'd do anything to be able to give him a hug."

Matt Williams sat Desmond out for two of the past four games to give him a rest for the rough season he had.  He was pleased he came through last night.  "I think he's a pro.  He works and works and works and works.  And he's told you guys, he's told everybody, that he will be okay and he's going to work out of it.  We try to give him a rest when we can, and tonight he came up big for us," said Williams.