12 years ago on this day, it really happened.
The Nationals were tied with the St. Louis Cardinals 1-1 in Game 4 of their NLCS series. The Cards had a 2-1 series lead, and it had been tied since the third inning. It was now the bottom of the ninth, so score and there’d be a game 5. Give up a run in extra innings and the series would be over.
Lance Lynn came in to pitch the ninth for the Cards.
Up to the plate stepped Jayson Werth.
I know these words by heart now, after watching the replay and listening to Dave Jageler and Charlie Slowes about a thousand times. But here’s how they described it:
DJ: This is an epic battle
CS: Remember the bat after the rain delay, Dave?
DJ: I do.
CS: Remember what happened, culminating that at bat?
DJ: I do.
CS: Wouldn’t that be nice?
DJ: I hope you’re the summoner.
CS: I hope I can steal a little summoning from you Dave.
CS: 3 balls, 2 strikes, the pitch…SWING AND A LONG DRIVE…DEEP LEFT FIELD…GOING..GOING..IT’s GOOOOOOOOONE..GOODBYE…GAME OVER…IT’S A LONG, LONG GAME-WINNING, SEASON-SAVING HOME RUN FOR JAYSON WERTH..AND THE NATIONALS HAVE WON THE GAME 2-1…UNBELIEVEABLE!
The singular most iconic moment ever in Washington Nationals history. The team’s version of “The Giants won the pennant, the Giants won the pennant.” Just READING the transcript of Charlie’s call that night still gives me goosebumps.
Some people put things on their phone to cheer that up at a low moment. I downloaded the audio, put it on my phone, and every time I’d listen to it it would make me smile. Even now.
Truth is, moments like this don’t come around often if you’re a sports fan. Depending on the team you pull for, they may never come around at all.
12 years ago today, Dave Jageler suggested it, the summoner, Charlie Slowes, made the call of a lifetime, and Jayson Werth parked a baseball into the Cardinal bullpen in left field. In a lifetime of being a sports fan, the odds rarely end up in your favor when you need a last-second miracle.
I still can’t believe it, but it happened.
It really, really happened 😊
