Maybe the Washington Nationals needed to remember to have fun.
After dropping seven straight games to division opponents, the Miami Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Mets, the Nationals got a jolt of energy and enthusiasm from spot starter Josh Rogers, making his first major league start in more than two years, in a 4-3 win over the Mets.
The victory in the second game of a seven-inning doubleheader came after yet another failed comeback in an 11-9, extra-inning loss in the opener.
With his girlfriend, family and friends cheering him on, Rogers, a 27-year-old veteran of two Tommy John surgeries, earned all but the last four outs of the seven-inning contest.