Nationals 1, Mariners 0
Laynce Nix hit a sacrifice fly with one out in the ninth inning as the Washington Nationals completed a three-game interleague series sweep with a 1-0 walkoff victory over the visiting Seattle Mariners on Thursday afternoon.
But the news wasn't all good for the Nationals. Manager Jim Riggleman abruptly resigned after the win over a contract dispute. Riggleman leaves with the Nationals playing their best baseball of the season.
Thursday's win was the third straight one-run victory for Washington and its 11th
win in 12 games overall. The Nationals have posted nine wins this year
when scoring two runs or less.
After the Nationals loaded the bases against Chris Ray (3-2), Seattle shortstop Jack Wilson made a great diving stop on a grounder by pinch-hitter Jerry Hairston Jr. and threw home for the force-out. Nix then lifted a fly ball to left field that scored Danny Espinosa and made a winner of Tyler Clippard (1-0), who tossed a scoreless top of the ninth.
Mariners rookie Michael Pineda, who ended counterpart Jason Marquis'
no-hit bid with one out in the sixth with his first career hit, struck
out a career high-tying nine in seven innings. Marquis limited Seattle
to three singles over eight frames in his longest outing since a
five-hit shutout win over San Francisco on April 29.
Justin Smoak recorded two of the four hits by Seattle, which has lost nine straight meetings with Washington.
Seattle center fielder Franklin Gutierrez prevented a run in the first as he threw out Jayson Werth at the plate after catching Ryan Zimmerman's fly ball, completing an inning-ending double play.