In game five of the National League Division Series between the Chicago Cubs and the Washington Nationals, the action was fast and fierce. Both teams were struggling as far as pitching goes, but the bats were hot. Both teams were hitting the cover off the ball, and then with one replay, that all changed.
Short and Sweet Series Recap
Up to the point of the replay, this series had been back and forth all the way to that critical Game 5. Game 1 was a strong showing by the Cubs in a 3-0 win even after 10 strikeouts from Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg. In Game 2, the Nationals came back strong with a 6-3 victory thanks to home runs from Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper. Game 3 was the tightest of the series with the Cubs pulling away 2-1 thanks to big contributions from Anthony Rizzo, who drove in the go-ahead run in the 8th inning. In Game 4, it was dominated by the Nationals 5-0 in a spectacular performance once again by Strasburg.
Game 5 Up to Replay
Up to that replay, the game had been going back and forth between both teams. One of the biggest plays came from Micheal Taylor of the Nationals who hit a three-run home run early on. And with a Cubs clinging to a one run league in the fifth, Max Scherzer for the Nationals let seven consecutive hitters reach base. This put the Cubs up going into the seventh inning. But the Nationals scored a run in a rally that would make it 9-8. And that’s where the replay takes its hold on this game.
The Replay
It’s the bottom of the eighth inning. Jose Lobaton is on first base for the Nationals, with Trea Turner batting and Wade Davis on the mound. Davis throws a slider that goes into the dirt. Cubs catcher Willson Contreras throws to Rizzo, who tags Labaton. But the umpire calls him safe. Manager Joe Maddon goes to the challenge for Chicago, and after review, it was ruled that Lobaton was out. This not only killed the rally that the Nationals were on, but changed the course of that entire series. Washington was now on the defensive, and impatient for that last run.
How This Impacts the Nationals Future
Now, when it comes to the Nationals future, this replay may not seem like a big deal. But in the large state of the team, it becomes huge. With that loss, the team once again missed the National League Championship Series. And now they have a giant question mark in Bryce Harper. With their superstar right fielder set for free agency this summer, how will this loss affect his decision? Does this weigh heavily on his mind when choosing where to play next? It may seem as though this was just a tiny replay, but this replay may have just started a new era in Washington, while sending Chicago to another potential championship.
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