CINCINNATI — With the bases loaded and nobody out in the ninth inning, Jonathan Papelbon was clinging to a one-run lead.
He was still confident he could slam the door.
The Washington Nationals’ closer was right. He picked up three consecutive outs to keep the potential tying run at third base and preserve a 10-9 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.
“We always talk about staying in the moment,” Papelbon said. “My motto is, ‘Bend but don’t break.’ I couldn’t get a feel for my slider early, but as the inning progressed, I got better feel for it.