'I needed it': Rosario ends slump with clutch blast for series win

WASHINGTON -- Eddie Rosario threw his bat and began to make his way around the bases, taking it all in as his second home run of the season made its way past right-center field. His slow start to the season now looks to be behind him.

Entering the series finale against the Blue Jays, Rosario was batting .096, but the Nats stuck by him and gave him the opportunity to begin to heat up. Their patience was rewarded in the 11-8 win against Toronto as Rosario went 2-for-4, complete with a tiebreaking two-run home run in the seventh inning at Nationals Park.

“I honestly didn’t see the ball. … I knew I had made great contact,” the right fielder said in Spanish. “I’m one of those players that looks forward to those big moments and I’ve had some big moments in my career. With how I started, I needed it and it’s a confidence boost.”

The 10-year veteran has a history of starting the season off slow at the plate during the first two months of the campaign and this year has been no different, with Rosario recording nine hits in 77 at-bats. He is now batting .117.

Rosario’s emotion was no surprise after he also connected for a single in the fourth inning. That leadoff knock helped set the stage for the Nats’ 12th comeback win of the season after they trailed 6-1 in the third inning. Rosario came around with Jacob Young to score on a two-run single by Luis García Jr. -- who hit his second dinger in three games to close the gap to four runs in the third inning. Young had returned to the top of the lineup after being taken out in the fifth inning of Friday’s game and missing Saturday's contest due to back spasms.

Inspired by his teammates’ fight, Jesse Winker rocketed a 103 mph three-run homer into the right-field stands to cap the five-run frame and give the Nationals a 7-6 lead.

“This team always stays positive, no matter the outcome of the game or the situation,” García said. “We keep going up there, battling and maintaining a positive attitude in the dugout and just keeping with the same focus and battling to the brink.”

MacKenzie Gore did not let a 44-pitch second inning stop him from getting the outs needed in the third inning to keep his team alive. Gore ended with four strikeouts, allowing six hits and six runs (two earned) over three innings, which raised his ERA on the season to 3.44.

“I wasn’t great today, but [it was] a heck of a win,” Gore said.

García was forced to exit the game after injuring his left wrist in an attempt to advance to second after hitting an RBI single for his fourth hit of the night in the sixth inning. The second baseman ended the day 4-for-4 with a home run, four RBIs and two runs scored.

“One thing I’m learning during this whole streak is just staying focused and staying on the same level no matter what happens on the field,” he said in Spanish.

Toronto put two more runs on the board to take an 8-7 lead in the fifth inning, but after García tied it with his single in the sixth, Rosario called game in the bottom of the seventh and showcased the power behind his swing, sending the ball 402 feet at 104 mph off his bat.

Winker, who was on base when Rosario homered, was in awe of what his teammate had accomplished as he made his way back to home plate.

“It was an unreal swing,” the outfielder said. “He crushed it and it was so cool to see. Anytime you watch your teammates have success on the field like that, it’s so inspiring.”

It was an all-around team effort to end 13 games in 13 days on a strong note. With the off-day on Monday in mind, manager Dave Martinez called six relievers from the bullpen to keep Washington in the game.

Having returned to .500 (17-17) with the most comeback wins in MLB, the Nats hope to score runs early and maintain leads for more sustainable success going forward.

“We need to understand as a group, myself included, that the way we played this weekend is not how you’re going to win consistently,” Gore said. “But it’s about winning, it’s not about how you win. What a great game by the bullpen, hitters competed and had good at-bats all day. It's a great series win.”