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

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.