The Washington Nationals were 19-31 entering play on May 24. On Sept. 24, the Nats clinched an improbable playoff berth.
A Trea Turner sixth-inning grand slam rallied the Nationals from an early deficit, and lifted Washington to a 6-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night, completing a doubleheader sweep.
Moments after the last out in Nats Park, the Pittsburgh Pirates finished out a 9-2 win over the Chicago Cubs, clinching the NL wild-card berth for the Nats.
The Phillies took the lead early in the nightcap on a three-run first-inning homer by Brad Miller, who also took Nationals starter Max Scherzer deep in the fourth with a solo shot that put the Phils up 4-1.
Yan Gomes hit a solo homer in the third to put Washington on the board, then answered the second Miller homer with a fourth-inning sac fly that got the Nats to within 4-2.
Philadelphia starter Aaron Nola (12-7, 3.87 ERA) walked pinch-hitter Howie Kendrick on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases in the sixth, before being relieved by Jared Hughes, who got ahead of Turner with a first-pitch fastball for a strike, before the shortstop took an 0-1 sinker deep to left-center.
Bryce Harper hit a pinch-hit homer in the seventh to narrow the margin to 6-5, but Javy Guerra pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, and Daniel Hudson closed it down in the ninth with another 1-2-3 inning.
Scherzer (11-7, 2.92 ERA) notched the win in the clinched, surrendering four runs in six innings, on the two Miller homers, striking out 10 and walking one.
Washington has recorded a 69-38 record since May 24.
The playoff berth is the fifth in eight years for the Nationals.
Story by Chris Graham
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Chris Graham
