Washington Nationals center fielder Trea Turner slams into the wall going after a two-run triple by Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Turner during the seventh inning of Game 5 of baseball’s National League Division Series, at Nationals Park on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Joc Pederson points skyward after his home run during the seventh inning of Game 5 of a baseball National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016, in Washington. Looking on is home plate umpire Jeff Kellogg and behind the plate is Nationals catcher Jose Lobaton. The Dodgers won 4-3.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Washington Nationals third base coach Bob Henley walks past home at the end of Game 5 of a baseball National League Division Series at Nationals Park against the Los Angeles Dodger, early Friday, Oct. 14, 2016, in Washington. The Dodgers won 4-3.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) celebrates striking out Washington Nationals Wilmer Difo, rear, for the third out of Game 5 of a baseball National League Division Series at Nationals Park early Friday, Oct. 14, 2016, in Washington. The Dodgers won 4-3.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Washington Nationals’ Jayson Werth is tagged out at home by Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal during the sixth inning of Game 5 of a baseball National League Division Series at Nationals Park, as home plate umpire Jeff Kellogg watches, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016, in Washington. Dodgers won 4-3.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 13: Joc Pederson #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with third base coach Chris Woodward #45 after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals during game five of the National League Division Series at Nationals Park on October 13, 2016 in Washington, DC.
(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) celebrates striking out Washington Nationals’ Wilmer Difo for the final out of Game 5 of a baseball National League Division Series, at Nationals Park early Friday, Oct. 14, 2016, in Washington. The Dodgers won 4-3.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) walks out of the dugout after pitching the third inning of Game 1 of baseball’s National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, at Nationals Park, Friday, Oct. 7, 2016, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Turner watches his two-run triple during the seventh inning as Washington Nationals catcher Jose Lobaton (59) watches during Game 5 of baseball’s National League Division Series at Nationals Park, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer throws during the first inning of Game 5 of baseball’s National League Division Series, against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Washington Nationals’ Daniel Murphy (20) runs around the tag from Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal (9) to score during the second inning in Game 5 of baseball’s National League Division Series, at Nationals Park, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Joc Pederson celebrate as he crosses the plate to score past Washington Nationals catcher Jose Lobaton (59) on a solo home run during the seventh inning of Game 5 of baseball’s National League Division Series at Nationals Park, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Former Washington Nationals pitcher Livan Hernandez throws out a ceremonial first pitch at Game 5 of baseball’s National League Division Series between the Nationals and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Nationals Park, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
WASHINGTON — After leading the Los Angeles Dodgers for six innings in Game 5 of the National League Division Series, the Washington Nationals saw baserunnings blunders and a bullpen implosion sink their 2016 season at Nationals Park Thursday night in a 4-3 loss. Their late comeback attempt came up just shy in the ninth inning, where they left the potential tying and winning runs on base.
It marked the third time in five years that Washington has been eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs following a National League East Championship, and the club’s second Game 5 home loss.
The game turned on back-to-back pitches — the final one of the sixth inning and first one of the seventh. With two outs and Jayson Werth at first in the bottom of the sixth and the Nationals ahead 1-0, Ryan Zimmerman lofted a double into the left field corner. Andrew Toles cut the ball off, but third base coach Bob Henley inexplicably waved Werth home, where he was thrown out by a mile at the plate, not even attempting a slide.
Max Scherzer, who had thrown six shutout innings, went back out to the mound to begin the seventh at 98 pitches. Joc Pederson sent Scherzer’s very first pitch of the frame out into the visiting bullpen in left field, tying the game at one run apiece. That ended Scherzer’s night, but not the Dodgers’ rally. Carlos Ruiz came through with a pinch-hit RBI single and Justin Turner blasted a two-run triple off the center field wall to push the margin to 4-1.
It took five Nationals relievers to record the inning’s three outs, and the club set a postseason record by using six total pitchers in the same frame.
But the Nationals immediately made the game interesting once again, as pinch-hitter Chris Heisey followed a leadoff walk to Danny Espinosa with a two-run home run off Dodgers reliever Grant Dayton, trimming the deficit to 4-3.
The score stayed there into the bottom of the ninth when, with two on and one out, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called on Clayton Kershaw, just one day removed from a 110-pitch outing on short rest, to get the final two outs. Kershaw got Daniel Murphy to pop out and struck out Wilmer Difo, the last remaining Nationals position player.
The Nationals struck for a run in the bottom of the second inning, as Daniel Murphy singled, stole second, and scored on an opposite field single from Danny Espinosa. But the Nats stranded two runners in the frame and two more in the third.
The Dodgers didn’t have a hit off Scherzer until Josh Reddick led off the fifth with a liner to right. Los Angeles loaded the bases with one out, but Scherzer fanned pinch-hitter Andre Ethier, then got Chase Utley to ground out to escape with no damage.
But the inning stretched Scherzer’s pitch count, putting him nearly at 100 entering the seventh inning, which has been his worst this season. Scherzer had allowed six home runs in just 22 innings with a 4.91 ERA in the seventh inning this season before surrendering the home run to Pederson on his first and only pitch of the seventh Thursday night.
The Dodgers advance to face the Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Series beginning Saturday in Chicago.
