There is absolutely nothing in this photo that isn’t full of happy happy joy joy. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)Nationals 5, Marlins 4: It was probably the most exciting home game of the season: even though it seemed like the Nationals thought that yesterday’s game was a 3 p.m. start, numerous late-inning heroics led the team to their first win in over a week over the always-pesky Marlins. The first seven frames were about as forgettable as it gets at Nationals Park, the only bit of entertainment being Hanley Ramirez’s fourth inning solo home run for the visitors. But the Nationals turned things on in the eighth, loading the bases on two walks and a single. Pinch hitter Mike Morse tied the score with a two-strike single up the gut off Florida reliever Kiko Calero. But that was merely an appetizer for the ninth inning. Normally-reliable closer Mike MacDougal allowed the Fins to retake a two-run lead on former National Nick Johnson’s RBI single; but Willie Harris and Ryan Zimmerman homered in dramatic fashion, placing whatever fans who stuck it out into a frenzy. For Zim, it was the fifth walk-off of his career — and two comebacks in two innings is certainly one of the better highlights of a season mostly spent in the doldrums.
Fever 72, Mystics 61: The Mystics couldn’t top 15 points in three of the four quarters and fell in an offensively-challenged matchup at Indiana. Washington only shot 28% from the field, and were a miserable 4-26 in the fourth quarter. With two games remaining, the Mystics are back out of the playoff race, a half game behind Chicago for the Eastern Conference’s final postseason spot.