Sean Doolittle was perfect, 21 for 21 converting save opportunities for the Washington Nationals before tonight, but the hard-throwing left-hander took the mound in the top of the ninth in Nationals Park, with a 4-2 lead over the Pittsburgh Pirates, and gave up a leadoff single by Andrew McCutchen, and a towering, game-tying, two-run homer to left field by Josh Bell, 4-4.
It wasn’t tied for long. Anthony Rendon (1 for 2, 3 BB, 3 R) singled to start the Nats’ half of the ninth, took third on a single to center by Daniel Murphy, and scored on a walk-off RBI single by Alejandro De Aza.