Relive Nationals' five-run eighth inning in Game 2 comeback victory

By Bobby Blanco

Nationals

October 07, 2017, 8:45pm

Comments

So about last night ...

That was an incredible game of baseball between the Nationals and Cubs. From the home runs to the relief pitching to the dramatic comeback, Game 2 of this National League Division Series provided the best of what postseason baseball has to offer.

Anthony Rendon started the scoring with a solo home run in the first. Gio Gonzalez gave manager Dusty Baker a solid start. Matt Albers, Sammy SolÃs, Ryan Madson, Oliver PÃ©rez and Sean Doolittle combined for four shutout innings of relief.

But the story of the game - and perhaps this series so far - was Bryce Harper's series-changing two-run homer run to tie the game and Ryan Zimmerman's monstrous homer to give the Nationals the lead in the bottom of the eighth.

So let's relive that eighth inning, shall we? Here's the best of the best videos, tweets, quotes and more to recap that crazy inning that led to the Nats tying this series at 1-1 before heading to Chicago.

Baker: "I just knew in the bottom of my heart that we were going to explode for some numbers."

Harper: "I saw the loop in the curveball and said, 'Why not swing as hard as you can?' Got barrel on it and a pretty good moment."

#SweetFancyMoses
-- Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) October 8, 2017

And suddenly. it happened.
-- Byron Kerr (@masnKerr) October 8, 2017

Said don't be surprised if Bryce Harper did something incredible. I'm not. He loves the spotlight.
-- Bobby Blanco (@Bobby_Blanco) October 8, 2017

Haven't heard #Nats Park this loud since Werth's Game 4 walkoff in 2012.
-- Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) October 8, 2017

Bryce Harper loves the spotlight.
-- Dan Kolko (@masnKolko) October 8, 2017

Bat flip dot gif.
-- Dan Kolko (@masnKolko) October 8, 2017

Harper's homer officially traveled 421 feet. To everyone inside #Nats Park, it felt like 421 miles.
-- Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) October 8, 2017

TIE GAME!!! #IBackTheNats pic.twitter.com/3alpVLUyDj
-- Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) October 8, 2017

Same F*****G seats!
-- F.P. Santangelo (@FightinHydrant) October 8, 2017

âœŒï¸#NLDS pic.twitter.com/A4J9rFXLKN
-- MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2017

BRYCE. HARPER.

Clutch gene. WOW. Tie game. #NLDS pic.twitter.com/S6qCMveUcE
-- MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2017

#BatFlip on another level. pic.twitter.com/DojIUDBPRn
-- MLB GIFS (@MLBGIFs) October 8, 2017

#BatFlips and hair flips? @Bharper3407 can do it all. pic.twitter.com/oHu41UVeSf
-- MLB GIFS (@MLBGIFs) October 8, 2017

And they weren't even close to being done yet.

Zimmerman: "Just happy to put a good swing on a pitch and maybe got a little lucky. Who knows?"

Baker: "It's great to have Zim come through in those situations, because he's been known to come through for years and years, you know, especially in late games like that. You could tell he was psyched and the fans are psyched. Everybody was psyched."

ohmygod
-- Bobby Blanco (@Bobby_Blanco) October 8, 2017

#SweetFancyMosesAgain
-- Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) October 8, 2017

Mr. Clutch.
-- Dan Kolko (@masnKolko) October 8, 2017

O M G . pic.twitter.com/Z6qhmUsOFw
-- Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) October 8, 2017

.@BHarper3407 = HYPED. #NLDS pic.twitter.com/A7D4g9VPai
-- MLB GIFS (@MLBGIFs) October 8, 2017

Show us how you really feel, Bryce. #NLDS pic.twitter.com/D5rUZzza5f
-- MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2017

Think about everything he's been through, folks. Now imagine what Ryan Zimmerman was thinking as he rounded the bases just now. Amazing.
-- Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) October 8, 2017

Zimmerman: "I couldn't tell you anything about that run around the bases."

And then Dr. Dootlittle made a house call for a Curly W.

You rang? #IBackTheNats pic.twitter.com/BmUXgaEWhh
-- Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) October 8, 2017

NATS WIN! #IBackTheNats pic.twitter.com/McNPkwaagt
-- Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) October 8, 2017

Ballgame. Series tied. Game 3 at Wrigley on Monday.
-- Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) October 8, 2017

Not gonna say I told you so... BUT I did predict a 6-3 Nats win earlier on @masnNationals pregame segement! ðŸ‘ðŸ» here's my proof! pic.twitter.com/WZ0XLcp1Su
-- Sara Perlman (@saraperlman) October 8, 2017

FLY THE CURLY W! #Nats take Game 2 by a final score of 6-3! https://t.co/tIf8oLiWnq #IBackTheNats pic.twitter.com/JZeF2TtHuA
-- Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) October 8, 2017

What an amazing night! This is why you stay positive. And to all those who chose to be doubters and negative I feel sorry for you all....tonight is why we love baseball! #Nats https://t.co/HPuZWCMr2u
-- F.P. Santangelo (@FightinHydrant) October 8, 2017

CUL8R x 2 = W. Advanced âš¾ï¸ math
-- Bob Carpenter (@scorebook_bob) October 8, 2017

Series. Changer.
-- Bobby Blanco (@Bobby_Blanco) October 8, 2017

Baker: "Boy, it was a good game to watch. It was a good game to manage, and especially the fact that we came out on top and tied the series 1-1 now. ... This is a game of momentum. ... We take a rest tonight and then go back at them on Monday. ... Yeah, we feel very confident after tonight's game."

Check out the postgame interviews:

"The atmosphere was absolutely electric."

Watch the #Nats sum up their huge Game 2 win! #IBackTheNats pic.twitter.com/SxYSkxUcvl
-- Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) October 8, 2017