The shock of Carlos Gonzalez’s grand slam off Drew Storen in the top of the eighth was still fresh in everyone’s mind inside Nationals Park late Friday night, but all hope wasn’t lost quite yet. Because there was still time for a last-ditch rally, and Bryce Harper was stepping to the plate.
And the man on the mound for the Rockies with two outs in the ninth wasn’t a feared, experienced closer, but rather the previously anonymous Tommy Kahnle, a right-hander celebrating his 26th birthday with the first save opportunity of his career.
“That’s the guy we want up there in that situation,” Nationals manager Matt Williams said.