Dave Martinez’s voice cracked with emotion when he was asked during his pregame press conference Sunday, just hours after a Saturday night eruption of gunfire outside Nationals Park left three injured and sent fans in the stands, as well as players on the field, scrambling for cover.
“I love this city,” Martinez said. “This city is my home. … I can tell you that inside this ballpark, I feel safer than ever. I really do.”
The manager’s comments came after the gun violence outside the stadium’s third base gate emptied the park and forced the Washington Nationals and the San Diego Padres to postpone finishing Saturday’s game — turning Sunday afternoon into an impromptu doubleheader of sorts, with the Padres taking the interrupted game and the Nationals winning the second with a dramatic bottom-of-the-ninth rally.