Reds 9, Nationals 6: This was a tough weekend to be a D.C. sports fan. After the agony of the Capitals losing Game 7 of the NHL Eastern Conference semifinals to the New York Rangers, fans could have really used a lift from the Nationals. Instead, we got a ninth-inning loss delivered in bombastic fashion by Cincinnati’s Joey Votto. along with news of yet another horrible injury to a core member of the lineup. Edwin Jackson only lasted five innings in his start, leaving the mound with a 4-3 lead. The Nationals tacked on two more runs and finished the top of the eighth inning up 6-3. But the bullpen could not hold. In the bottom of the frame, Sean Burnett let runners advance to second and third. And then, what should have been an easy fly ball off the bat of the Reds’ Jay Bruce turned ugly when Bryce Harper lost track of the ball, allowing both runners to score.

It just got worse in the ninth inning. Henry Rodriguez looked like a jangle of nerves by loading the bases instead of recording outs to get the save. Votto, who had already supplied two of the Reds’ runs to that point on a pair of solo home runs, stepped up to the plate and promptly sent Rodriguez’s pitch over the center field wall for a walk-off grand slam.

The demoralizing loss came just hours after the Nationals learned that catcher Wilson Ramos needs season-ending surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Jesus Flores will take over as the everyday catcher.