A six-run ninth inning, completed with Jeter Downs's blooper, gave the Nationals an 8-7 victory and a sweep of the Athletics.
win for his Washington Nationals against the Oakland Athletics, a win capped by a six-run, ninth-inning rally that ended with his bloop single to shallow center.
The next batter, Ildemaro Vargas, cut the margin to three with a sacrifice fly to deep center. Riley Adams followed with a walk to load the bases. Nationals Manager Dave Martinez turned to Smith to pinch-hit, leading the Athletics to counter with Kirby Snead for a lefty-lefty matchup. But Snead was wild, walking Smith to make it 7-5 and bring up Alex Call, the Nationals’ struggling center fielder.
Before that ninth inning, before Vargas and other teammates showered him with sunflower seeds, Downs had zero hits in four plate appearances for the Nationals. He was promoted Aug. 3, when Luis García went to the minors, despite hitting .175 at Class AAA Rochester. The 25-year-old has appeared in just three games since, four in the entire season after the Nationals claimed him off waivers in December.
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