Washington Nationals: Top 10 Games Of 2016 (5-1)

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May 20, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Washington Nationals center fielder Michael Taylor (right) celebrates with Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos (left) after Taylor drove in Ramos on a two run home run against the Miami Marlins during the second inning at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Today, we conclude our countdown with the top five Washington Nationals games of the 2016 season

On Thanksgiving morning, we began our list of the top ten Washington Nationals games from the 2016 season by looking at games ten through six. Our list began with clutch hits by Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, a NL East clincher, a great Opening Day, and a rare defensive accomplishment out on the West Coast.

In our top five, you will find one of the games from this postseason and a few memorable finishes from the regular season, including a historic performance from the eventual National League Cy Young Award winner and a few more walk-offs, including from a player that was on the first part of the top ten game list.

While the season didn’t end as a lot of fans might have hoped it would have, there were still a lot of memories and games to look back on. Some of them might even stick in our minds for years to come.

Of course, there were other great games or memories from this past season and that’s why we want to hear from you. Feel free to share with us your favorite games or memories from this past season in our comments section. Do you agree/disagree with our list and what’s the top moment for you?

With that being said, let’s continue the countdown of the top ten Washington Nationals games in 2016 with number 5, which took place in early October at Nats Park as an unlikely hero emerged on the national stage:

Oct 9, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals catcher Jose Lobaton (59) is congratulated by third base coach Bob Henley (13) after hitting a three run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fourth inning during game two of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /

Nats Tie NLDS Against Dodgers

After a tough Game 1 loss to Clayton Kershaw and a rainout the following day, the Washington Nationals had a must win Game 2 against the Dodgers. Right out of the gate, Tanner Roark gave up a solo home run to Corey Seager in the top of the first to put LA up 1-0. It was the second consecutive game that Seager had hit a first inning home run.

The Dodgers had many chances to break the game open in the early stages, but Roark kept the deficit at two thanks to a key double play in the third inning after a Josh Reddick RBI single. Los Angeles went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position in the loss and left 12 men on base.

For the first three innings, the Nats did nothing against Rich Hill as they struck out seven times. But, in the fourth inning, the unlikeliest of heroes emerged as Jose Lobaton hit a go-ahead three-run home run to left to give the Nats a 3-2 lead.

After Lobaton’s home run, Daniel Murphy provided key insurance RBI singles in the fifth and seventh innings respectively to put the Nats ahead 5-2. Once Roark left the game, the bullpen did not give up a hit over the final 4.2 innings and Mark Melancon picked up his first and only save of the postseason.

While the Washington Nationals ended up losing the NLDS in five games, this game makes the list because of the surprising home run by Lobaton and a three-hit afternoon by Murphy.

Jun 15, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals left fielder Jayson Werth (28) celebrates with Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper (34) after hitting the game-winning single against the Chicago Cubs in the twelfth inning at Nationals Park. The Nationals won 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Werth’s Walk-Off Caps Wild Win Over Cubs

All season long, the Washington Nationals had close games against the eventual World Series champions, the Chicago Cubs. In their seven matchups during the regular season, every game ended up being decided by three runs or fewer.

Stephen Strasburg and Jason Hammel had a classic pitcher’s duel as the score was tied at one until the bottom of the eighth inning. That was when Stephen Drew hit a pinch-hit solo home run against Pedro Strop to put the Nats up, 2-1.

In this game, Dusty Baker tried to get the save with Matt Belisle and Oliver Perez. But, that strategy did not pay off. Kris Bryant doubled to start the inning and Anthony Rizzo followed that up with a two-run home run to right to put the Cubs in front, 3-2.

Hector Rondon was one out away from getting the save, but Wilson Ramos kept the Nats chances alive with a base hit to left, which drove in Bryce Harper. Chicago would end up taking the lead back in the top of the 12^th on a RBI single by Addison Russell against Yusmeiro Petit.

Down a run in their final at-bat, the Nats found a way to comeback once again. Michael Taylor’s RBI single with one out in the bottom of the 12^th end up tying the game at four. Two batters later, Jayson Werth ended up being the hero with a walk-off single to center field.

While this was only a regular season game, this matchup had an October atmosphere to it at Nats Park.

May 9, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals first baseman Clint Robinson (25) hits a walk off homer against the Detroit Tigers during the ninth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /

Robinson’s Walk Off Defeats Tigers

This was a memorable night on and off the field for the Washington Nationals. As this game was going on against the Detroit Tigers, it was reported that Stephen Strasburg had agreed to a seven-year, $175 million contract extension.

Strasburg was the starting pitcher for the Nats that night and pitched well despite giving up a pair of two-run home runs to Nick Castellanos and J.D. Martinez that night. He went seven innings, gave up four runs on six hits, struck out 11 (a season-high), and walked three in a no-decision.

The Nats were down 4-1 in the bottom of the sixth against Anibal Sanchez, but Daniel Murphy got the team back in it with a two-run home run to right. One inning later, it was Ben Revere’s sac fly to right with the bases loaded and nobody out that tied the game at four.

After a Danny Espinosa strikeout in the ninth, home plate umpire Brian Knight ejected Bryce Harper from the game. Two pitches after the ejection, Clint Robinson hit a walk-off pinch-hit home run to right to seal the victory in the series opener, 5-4.

During that home run, Harper came out to celebrate and he had some choice words for the home plate umpire. He ended up serving a one-game suspension for those words and for coming onto the field after being ejected. Needless to say, this was a game that the Washington Nationals and their fans won’t soon forget.

Apr 24, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals center fielder Chris Heisey (14) tosses his batting helmet after hitting the game-winning walk-off home run against the Minnesota Twins in the sixthteenth inning at Nationals Park. The Nationals won 5-4 in sixteen innings. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Heisey Ends 16-Inning Marathon

On April 24, the Washington Nationals played what would end up being their first of two 16+ inning games of the season. Against the Minnesota Twins, the Nats found a way to comeback twice and win it in walk-off fashion to improve their record to 14-4 over their first 18 games.

With the score tied at one in the top of the eighth, Baker left Strasburg in the game to face Brian Dozier and that decision ended up backfiring. On the eighth pitch of the at-bat, Dozier hit a three-run home run to left to put the Twins ahead 4-1. Strasburg did strike out 10 batters over 7.1 innings, but ended up taking the no-decision.

After Wilson Ramos’ two-run double in the bottom of the eighth cut the deficit to one run, Baker brought in Harper to pinch-hit to start the ninth. Against closer Kevin Jepsen, Harper hit a 3-2 pitch to dead center for a game-tying solo home run.

The game would remain tied until the top of the 15^th when Miguel Sano’s RBI single against Yusmeiro Petit put the Twins up 4-3. But, a bad throw to first by John Ryan Murphy on a two-out bunt by Oliver Perez in the bottom of the inning ended up tying the game at four.

In the bottom of the 16^th, Chris Heisey led off the inning with a walk-off solo home run to left center against Michael Tonkin to win the game, 6-5 and secure the sweep of the three-game series.

May 11, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) reacts after striking out the twentieth Detroit Tiger of the game during the ninth inning at Nationals Park. The Washington Nationals won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /

Scherzer Strikes Out 20 Against Former Team

Our number one game on this list was a matchup of two pitchers facing their former team as Max Scherzer went up against Jordan Zimmermann and the Tigers.

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In a game that the Nats won 3-2, Daniel Murphy drove in the first two runs with singles in the first and the sixth inning. The other run in this game by the Nats came courtesy of a solo home run by Danny Espinosa in the bottom of the seventh.

The star of this game ended up being Scherzer as he had another historical night in a curly W uniform to go with the two no-hitters he had in 2015. He did give up solo home runs to Jose Iglesias and Victor Martinez, but it was the strikeouts that were the story.

Scherzer struck out 20 Tigers, which tied a Major League record for the most strikeouts in a nine-inning game. Those 20 K’s were part of Scherzer’s 284 strikeouts in 2016, which ended up leading the National League. Plus, it helped him win his second Cy Young award and his first in the NL.

One of the facts that stands out about this game was that this wasn’t even Scherzer’s best game score of the season. According to Baseball Reference, his best performance by game score took place on August 25 against the Orioles when he gave up two hits and struck out ten over eight innings in a win.

Next: Top 10 Nats Games Of 2016 (10-6)

While it wasn’t his best game score of the season, Scherzer once again showed that when he takes the mound, history has a chance to happen.

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