Walk-Off Weekend Has Nationals Streaking

In both of their games against the Pirates over the weekend, the Nationals trailed late, Saturday by three runs in the bottom of the eighth and Sunday by one in the bottom of the ninth.

Yet in each instance, Washington celebrated in walk-off fashion, sweeping their second straight series and extending their winning streak to a season-long six games.

Saturday, Wilson Ramos' ground-rule double to deep right scored Bryce Harper to secure a 4-3 victory after Kevin Frandsen and Adam LaRoche sparked the rally in the eighth. The Pirates had won 61 straight games against the Nationals/Expos franchise when leading by at least three runs in the eighth inning or later, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

Then on Sunday, after Rafael Soriano blew a save with the Nationals leading 4-2 entering the top of the ninth, Asdrubal Cabrera (who was hitting a MLB-worst .197 with runners in scoring position over the past two seasons for players with a minimum of 200 at-bats) singled in Jayson Werth to tie the game. Scott Hairston's sacrifice fly in the 11th brought home Werth for the victory.

The Nationals, the hottest team in baseball with their current winning streak, now lead the Braves by six games in the NL East.


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