In the moment, if you had asked 100 Washington Nationals fans who they would want up with the bases loaded and nobody out in the top of the 10th inning, you would likely be able to count the number of people to respond with “Howie Kendrick” on one hand.
Until then, Kendrick had started every postseason game going 4-for-19 in the NLDS and 5-for-22 overall in the postseason, with three errors, and a big baserunning gaffe in Game 3.
It wouldn’t have been a stretch to imagine manager Dave Martinez pinch-hitting with Gerardo Parra at that point to have a lefty face right-hander Joe Kelly in such a huge spot.