Natitude lives! The Nationals faced elimination in today's game, but thanks to a strong pitching performance from Ross Detwiler and the bullpen, followed up by some late-game heroics from Jayson Werth, they are set to take on the Cardinals in a decisive Game 5 tomorrow.
Detwiler pitched six strong innings and left the game with the score tied at one. That's when the Nationals' bullpen took over and proceeded to mow down the Cardinals lineup. Jordan Zimmerman struck out the side in a perfect seventh inning, Tyler Clippard allowed one walk but also struck out the side in the eighth inning, and Drew Storen struck out two in a scoreless ninth.
That set the stage for Jayson Werth, who came up first in the bottom of the ninth inning to face Lance Lynn, one of the Cardinals' many portly fireballers. Werth forced Lynn to throw 12 pitches before smoking the 13th, a 96 mph fastball, over the left-field wall. After rounding the bases, Werth unleashed the full force of his Natitude as he leapt into a mob of teammates awaiting him at home plate.
And here is the entire 13-pitch at-bat: