The Washington Nationals went 137 games this season without a walk-off win — so why not get one on Caturday? The hero was Dylan Crews who hit the walk-off single with bases loaded in the 10ᵗʰ inning for the game winner over the Miami Marlins.

In the 7ᵗʰ inning, the Nats had what seemed like a comfortable 4-0 lead. On defense, Crews couldn’t glove a 2-out flyout in the right-field gap to score two runs. It was a tough play with an xBA of .700, but Crews was there on a dive and the ball missed his glove, and clanked off of his wrist. It only made sense that the former LSU superstar, who excelled in the clutch in college, would be the player who came through for his MLB team when they needed just a single to win it. That was Crews first MLB walk-off hit.

This was a huge crowd today at 32,055 celebrating Caturday as well as James Wood bobblehead day. It was also a marquee pitching matchup between aces on the mound for both teams with Cade Cavalli for the Nats, and former Cy Young winner, Sandy Alcantara, for the Marlins.

In this matchup of №1’s, it was Cavalli who pitched like the ace until he was hit by a 93.1 mph comebacker on his calf muscle and exited the game with 4.0 full innings of no-hit baseball in his scoreless outing, and with a 4-0 lead. Right now, the Nationals are calling the injury a contusion to his right calf.

After Cavalli departed, he had improved his ERA to 3.12. He currently holds the 14ᵗʰ best ERA for qualified starters in baseball. The right-hander is scheduled to pitch on an extra day of rest in Los Angeles against the Dodgers on Friday if his calf is better by then.

​Cavalli had X-rays, that showed no broken bone. He described the immediate pain as a “charley horse” or “dead leg.” For now, he will be listed as day-to-day.

Just three innings after Cavalli exited the game, the Nats suffered their 34ᵗʰ blown save of this season, the most in the Majors, but once again, the Nats didn’t lose due to a blown save.

Credit to Erik Tolman who pitched 2.0 great innings in relief of Cavalli. While Brad Lord was collared with the blown save, he kept the game tied in 2⅓ innings of work. And Orlando Ribalta pitched the extra inning in the 10ᵗʰ, and had two strikeouts to keep the score tied at 4-4 to allow his offense to win it. Ribalta would be credited with his first MLB win as a pitcher.

Still, you have to wonder if managerial decisions would have changed the situation given the 4-0 lead in the top of the 7ᵗʰ inning when manager Blake Butera chose to go with reliever Tom Cosgrove who is more of a pitch-to-contact pitcher.

In the 7ᵗʰ inning, Butera could have gone to his top outfield defense with a full bench and Gold Glove candidate, Jacob Young, available. But Butera stuck with Crews as his center fielder, and disaster struck. Butera had the choice to move Crews to right field, and shift Daylen Lile to left field, and sub Jose Tena out of the game. My suggestion before the inning was to go to best defense. Clearly, I’m not the manager, and Butera missed out on one of the little things. Fortunately, Crews came through for his team and delivered the walk-off hit.

With this win, the Nats now have a modest 3-game winning streak going, and have Andrew Alvarez on the mound for an early Sunday game tomorrow as the Peacock national Sunday noon game.

Cover photo by Sol Tucker, and celebration photo by Marlene Koenig for Nats.Talk