There will be October baseball in our nation’s capital for the first time in 79 years.
The Nationals beat the Dodgers 4-1 on Thursday to clinch a postseason berth. Not only will this mark the team’s first playoff appearance since moving to Washington in 2005, but it’s the franchise’s first playoff berth since the Expos lost the NLCS to the Dodgers in 1981. It’s also the first time the franchise has won 90 games since 1993.
Tonight’s winner was left-hander Ross Detwiler, who is slated to replace Stephen Strasburg in the postseason rotation. He allowed one run and three hits in six innings to move to 10-6 on the season. His 3.10 ERA is actually a bit lower than Strasburg’s 3.16 mark.
While the Nats are now guaranteed a spot in the postseason, managed Davey Johnson said the team wouldn’t celebrate tonight. They intend to save the champagne for if they can lock up the NL East. They’re currently 5 1/2 games ahead of the Braves.
For more on tonight’s win, head on over to CSNWashington.com.