The Home Opener
The Washington Nationals started off their amazing 50 home win season with a bang. On April 12th, during the home opener against the Cincinatti Reds, the Nationals scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 10th inning to defeat the Reds much to the delight of the almost 41,000 fans wearing their free Nats opening day hats (which don't fit).
Gio Gonzalez, coming off a terrible Nats debut, was in what would soon be known as classic Gio-Mode. Gonzalez pitched 7 innings and only gave up 2 hits while striking out 7. But the Nats didn't reward Gio with his first Nats win. Brad Lidge gave up 2 in the 9th to scratch Gio's name off the decision.
The Nats were coasting, up 2-0 since the 5th inning, but 2 Reds runs in the 9th inning caused the crowd to get a little bit anxious. But in extra innings a wild pitch by Alfredo Simon sent Ryan Zimmerman home from where he stood on 3rd base. As Zim hustled down the line, the batter, Roger Bernadina, was screaming at him to go back. But Zimmerman made his decision.
As he slid into home plate the capacity crowd erupted in cheers, but nobody was happier than Gio Gonzalez. Although his team cost him the win, he didn't care. He only cared about one statistic...a win in the standings.
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