Vamos Ramos: Walk-Off Style

What an incredible night in NatsTown! And by incredible night, we clearly mean 9th inning, because there wasn't much incredible about the rest of the evening. Ryan Zimmerman grounded into 3 double plays. Livan didn't make a single out in the 5th inning. But after some brilliant relief work from Ryan Mattheus, Collin Balester, and Todd Coffey, the Nats were in position for the most improbable of comebacks.

Mariners Manager Eric Wedge took SP Doug Fister out of the game and is probably kicking himself for doing so. Through 8, Fister gave up just 1 run and 3 hits, and the bullpen imploded to allow the comeback. The beardless wonder Jayson Werth gets a double, followed by a Bernie walk in a great AB. But then, Zimm grounded into his 3rd DP of the night. The game felt pretty lost at that point, but then Hairston came through with an RBI hit, and Morse singled off of Mariners RP Brandon League's leg. Espinosa snuck one through the right side of the infield scoring Hairston.

Then, it was time to Vamos. With 2 men on and 2 out in the bottom of the 9th, Ramos hit one of the most ridiculous home runs we've seen in Nats Park. It was launched over the corner of the Mariners bullpen and well onto the Red Porch. Ramos even took a second or two to watch his first career walk-off homer sail to the seats before he started his slow trot toward his teammates.

A game like Tuesday night's reminds us why baseball is... baseball. There's nothing else in sports like the walk-off home run. It's not a moment created by a ticking shot clock or game clock; it's not altered by penalties or man-advantages. It's one-on-one, mano y mano drama. There's no feeling in the (regular-season) sports world like when your team walks off with a win. Challenge us on that. We dare you.

Check back at 10:30 for more coverage!