Dammit, Nats.

A few DCist Flickr pool contributors got to experience this thrilling ride in Washington sports history. Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos.

The Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals will play the potentially deciding game of the National League Division Series late Thursday afternoon, Major League Baseball announced today.

If the Nationals win the NLDS, the D.C. Flag will fly over St. Louis City Hall for a day. But if the Cardinals win, it’ll be St. Louis’ banner hanging above the John A. Wilson Building.

Even though they lost last night’s game, the Nationals had plenty of cause to celebrate by clinching the National League East and giving D.C. its first first-place baseball team in nearly 80 years.

Civic pride, it seems, has been replaced with Natitude. With the Washington Nationals heading to the playoffs for the first time in team history, the John A. Wilson Building will be bathed in red lighting.

With a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Washington Nationals clinched D.C.’s first MLB postseason appearance in 79 years.