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There are losses, and then are gut-wrenching, vomit-inducing losses and that’s the type the Nationals suffered Tuesday night as they allowed the Phillies to run wild in the ninth and steal a victory. That and the usual trip around the major leagues. Let’s get to it.
Having covered professional athletes for more than four decades, I can tell you with first-hand knowledge that they loathe the losses more than they celebrate the victories. That’s just how they’re wired - they expect to win every game so when they do, hey, no big deal, but when they lose, it cuts into their soul.
And so Tuesday night, while the Philadelphia Phillies were euphoric after pulling off one of the most amazing comeback victories you’ll ever see, come Wednesday it’ll be back to business as they continue to chase down the Atlanta Braves in the NL East, their 10.5-game deficit on May 22 now done to 5.5.
As for the Washington Nationals, what happened Tuesday night in the nation’s capitol is going to hurt for a while, and it will take everything they can muster to get off the deck and get back on the field for Wednesday’s game after they allowed the Phillies to score eight runs after two men were out in the top of the ninth to lose 14-9.
Can you even imagine that as a Yankees fan?
“This game is crazy when you see stuff like that,” said Phillies manager Don Mattingly after he watched Nationals stud closer Brad Lord get two quick outs and then get within one strike of ending the game before Trea Turner singled, starting an assembly line of baserunners that seemingly never ended.
Counting Turner, 10 straight men reached base against Lord and Paxton Schultz with Brandon Marsh hitting a game-tying two-run homer and Bryson Stott clubbing a three-run shot that put the Phillies up 11-8.
Bryce Harper congratulates Brandon Marsh after his tying home run kick-started an incredible ninth inning against the Nationals.
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