Nats Finally Pop Cork For NL East
Follow
By DERON SNYDER
As the home team prepared to bat Monday night in the bottom of the eighth at Nationals Park, the video screen flashed a favorable update from the Braves-Pirates game. A rousing cheer rose from the slightly-chilled crowd of 35,387 fans, one of the few chances they had all evening to fully exercise their vocal chords.
Phillies righty Kyle Kendrick had kept the Nationals and their supporters quiet for seven shutout innings, but he made for reliever Justin De Fratus and it got really loud when Jayson Werth laced a one-out single and Bryce Harper followed with a walk. But the noise level quickly dissipated after Ryan Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche were retired, leaving the score at 2-0.
Chants of “Let’s go Pirates!” broke out as Drew Storen recorded the first out in the top of the ninth, some fans obviously tuned in to the proceedings in Pittsburgh, where the Braves trailed 2-1. Just after Storen recorded the final out of the inning, the video board flashed the final and now the place was bedlam.
The presidents came out on the field and there was a prolonged standing ovation as the players exchanged hugs and handshakes in the dugout. The Nats were still losing but that didn’t matter. The scoreboard told the real story: NL East Division Champions.
