Nationals Take Series on Jayson Werth’s Walk-Off Double

Jul 20, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals outfielder

(28) is congratulated by teammates after hitting the game-winning RBI double in the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Nationals Park. The Nationals won 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

The Nationals beat the Brewers Sunday afternoon at Nationals Park, sealing a series win against Milwaukee and improving their record to 53-43.

For a moment, it looked like the game would get away from the Nationals, as closer Rafael Soriano blew the save for the first time in over a month in the top of the ninth. But Jayson Werth saved the day in the bottom of the inning with a two-out, walk off double that scored Anthony Rendon all the way from first base.

Hours before Werth’s heroics, Gio Gonzalez took the mound for his 15th start of the season. The Nationals’ left-hander struggled in his first game back from the All-Star break, allowing three runs in 3 1/3 innings of work.

The Nationals’ offense gave Gonzalez an early lead on an RBI single by Ian Desmond in the bottom of the second. But the Brewers scored two runs an inning later on an RBI groundout by Jonathan Lucroy and an RBI single by Khris Davis, giving Milwaukee a 2-1 lead. The Brewers made it a 3-1 game in the fourth on an RBI groundout by Carlos Gomez.

But the Nationals came back to tie the game in the seventh inning on a two-run homer off the bat of Ryan Zimmerman, his fifth of the year. Washington took a 4-3 lead later in the inning on a wild pitch from Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo that scored Jose Lobaton from third base.

The Brewers tied the game against Soriano on an RBI single by Rickie Weeks in the top of the ninth, before Werth’s double against Brewers reliever Bob Wooten sealed a 5-4 victory for the Nationals.

Next Game: Doug Fister (8-2, 2.90 ERA) and the Nationals take on Franklin Morales (5-4, 5.26 ERA) and the Rockies Monday night as Washington goes for its third win in a row.