Did you know: Nats' surreal comeback

July 6th, 2018

In one of the wildest games in franchise history, the Nationals erased a 9-0 deficit in the fourth inning by surging with a run in the fourth, four runs in the fifth, five runs in the sixth, and four runs in the seventh for a 14-12 victory over the Marlins at Nationals Park on Thursday.
Here's what you need to know about a record-setting night in Washington:
• The Nationals' victory was the franchise's largest come-from-behind win since moving to Washington in 2005. The previous record was eight runs, accomplished on April 28, 2015, against the Braves in Atlanta, when the Nats came back from a 10-2 deficit to win, 13-12.
• The last time a deficit of nine runs or more was overcome in franchise history was on May 16, 1997, when the Expos defeated the Giants on a David Segui walk-off single, 14-13, after trailing 11-2 in the fourth inning at Olympic Stadium. Nationals television broadcaster F.P. Santangelo played third base for Montreal in that game, going 0-for-1 with a walk.
• Leadoff man led the way for the Nationals, getting them on the board with a solo home run in the fourth, driving in a run with a fielder's choice in the fifth, smacking a go-ahead grand slam in the sixth and capping his night with a two-run single in the seventh.

• Turner's eight RBIs tied for the most by any leadoff hitter since at least 1908, as he became the sixth player drive in that many runs out of the top spot in the order. The last to do it had been Boston's last July 2, and he was preceded by the Rockies' Ronnie Belliard (2003), the Tigers' Jim Northrup (1973), the Indians' Bill Glynn ('54) and the Cardinals' Augie Bergamo ('45).
• Turner also became just the third hitter in Nationals history (since 2005) to drive in at least eight runs in a game, joining current teammate (10 last April 30) and Josh Willingham (eight on July 27, 2009).
• Meanwhile, Turner is the first leadoff man in franchise history (Nats or Expos) to homer twice and drive in at least six runs in a game. Previously, Alfonso Soriano had a pair of multi-homer, five-RBI games for Washington back in 2006.
• Prior to the Nationals, the last team to erase a deficit of nine runs or more and win had been the Mariners on June 2, 2016, when Seattle trailed by 10 but ended up beating the Padres, 16-13.
• On the flip side, this matched the largest blown lead in Marlins history. Almost exactly 10 years earlier, on July 4, 2008, the Marlins fell short in a Coors Field special, jumping ahead 13-4 in the top of the fourth before the Rockies roared back to win, 18-17, on a ninth-inning walk-off single.
• Before exploding for 14 runs from the fourth inning through the seventh to erase that 9-0 deficit, the Nationals had scored a total of 12 runs over a stretch of 52 innings. That included the five-game losing streak the club carried into Friday, plus three scoreless frames to begin this game.
• In the two games bookending that skid -- a win at Philadelphia on June 29 and Friday's victory -- Washington scored a total of 31 runs.
• Turner wasn't the only Nationals hitter with a big game. First baseman Matt Adams, in his first game back from the disabled list, picked up four hits to tie a career high. Coincidentally, his only other four-hit game also came against the Marlins, while Adams was playing for the Cardinals almost exactly four years earlier -- July 6, 2014.

• The Nationals scored 14 runs on 12 hits in their victory, with five players accounting for the 12 hits (Turner, Adams, Juan Soto, Michael A. Taylor and Spencer Keiboom). Prior to Washington on Thursday night, the last team to score 14 or more runs on 12 or fewer hits, with all of the team's hits coming from a combined five or fewer players was the Orioles on Sept. 8, 2008, in a 14-3 victory over the Indians at Camden Yards -- Baltimore scored 14 runs on 11 hits by five different players.
• Washington starter became the second Nationals pitcher to ever allow at least nine runs in a game without getting charged with a loss. The other was A.J. Cole, who surrendered nine runs in just two innings at Atlanta on April 28, 2015, when the Nats came back from eight down to win, 13-12, on Dan Uggla's go-ahead three-run homer in the ninth inning.