On the final game of the season (Sept 28), Jason Zimmermann pitched a no hitter in a 1-0 win. It was the first no hitter thrown by a Washington (including Nationals, the Senators pre MN, and the expansion Senators) since 1931. It was also a home game making the fans happy (someone is hugging Zimmermann in the image).
The game, which was against the Florida Marlins, was otherwise somewhat meaningless. The National's had already clinched the Division title as well as home team advantage through the league championships play offs.
Oddly enough, this was the second season in a row that the Marlins ended there season with a no hitter. The no hitter in 2013 was also a 1-0 game with the Marlins beating the Tigers. Somewhat ironically, the Marlins scored their run in the 9th inning without the benefit of a hit.
The USA Today article on the National's game is
here.
An ESPN article on the 2013 game is
here.
Yesterday, the National's won a 14 inning game from LA (in LA).
The Nationals used 26 players in the game
(setting a team record) including 10 pitchers (tying a team record). The game lasted 5 hours 34 minutes (setting a team record).
The hero of the game was a fellow who didn't come into the game until the 9th, Adam LaRoche, who is suffering multiple injuries. He didn't expect to play and left his personal bats in the clubhouse but was called on to pitch hit in the 9th. He used a Jason Werth bat and hit a 2 run homer to put the Nationals up by one (first image is the beginning of the HR, second image the post score celebration). LA tied it in the bottom of the inning LaRoche came to bat in the 10th also and was hit by a pitch in the elbow (which usually requires you to be replaced in the line up). Then in the 12th, he hit an opposite field single (he hardly ever hits to the opposite field) which put the Nationals up by 2 runs. LA again tied it in the bottom of the inning. In the 14th LaRoche hit into a fielder's choice (beating the relay throw to 1st to prevent the double play) putting the National's ahead for good (they later got two more runs). So LaRoche got go ahead at bats in 3 innings in the same game beginning in the 9th (who knows if that's a record).
