A season that started with so many soaring expectations for the Washington Nationals crashed with a dreary thud Saturday, when they were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention despite a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in 12 innings on Bryce Harper’s RBI double.
The Nationals’ victory came less than an hour after the New York Mets also won and clinched the National League East title.
Stephen Strasburg struck out 13 batters for Washington, and Harper, the NL MVP front-runner, had three hits and drew his franchise record-tying 123rd walk. Like whatever else went right this season for a team many considered a World Series favorite, none of it mattered.
As the Phillies/Nationals game was in the top of the 11th, the Mets defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 10-2. Washington (79-75) can’t possibly pass New York (88-67) in the standings and is also out of the wild-card race.
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