With the Brewers in the midst of a tightly-contested race in the National League Central division and the calendar ticking down toward October, every game from here to No. 162 matters. That’s especially true in the soft part of the schedule, which included Wednesday’s series finale against the last-place Nationals.
Milwaukee had lost four of its previous five games to fall out of first place but had the chance to win the series against Washington. Staked to a 2–1 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning, though, everything fell apart.
All-Star closer Devin Williams loaded the bases with nobody out on an error, single and a walk. He appeared to avoid disaster by inducing a ground ball to third base from Alex Call that looked like the makings of a double play when disaster struck.
Feast your eyes:
CALL 'EM HOME, ALEX pic.twitter.com/8fJLZlmOth
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) August 2, 2023
What should have, at the very least, resulted in an out at home instead turned into a two-run, game-ending throwing error by third baseman Andruw Monasterio, providing a thrilling win for the Nationals in a season that’s been filled with far more low moments than high ones.
The Brewers’ defeat ensured that the Reds would end the day alone in first place. With 53 games remaining, Milwaukee certainly has time to put together a run for the postseason—provided, of course, the sting of this ignominious blunder doesn’t linger for too long.
