#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Early walk-offs and a K-heavy performance

We don't have a long list of "Nationals Classics" airing on MASN this week, but two of the three games went extra innings and ended in Washington walk-offs, while the third featured a strikeout-hunting hurler who reached a major milestone.

Who doesn't like a walk-off, especially when it's the Nationals doing the celebrating? Our two games featuring bonus baseball sent fans home happy from RFK Stadium in the team's formative years.

Sandwiched between the two games offering late heroics is a model of consistency featuring a pitcher who loves to stalk around the mound as he piles up the Ks.

Enjoy this week's "Nationals Classics" on MASN:

Monday, Dec. 16 - 6:30 p.m. - The Nats' first season in D.C. was quite the exciting ride, the newcomers owning a share of first place in the National League East as late as July 24. But a second-half collapse cost the guys with the interlocking D and C on their chests, making September a moot point. On Sept. 3 of that season, with the Phillies visiting RFK Stadium, the teams battled 12 innings before the home squad pulled out a 5-4 win on Preston Wilson's RBI single that scored José Guillen.

Wednesday, Dec. 18 - 1 p.m. - Moving to a more recent vintage of the Nationals, Max Scherzer made some history on July 27, 2018 when he became the fourth pitcher in major league annals to record seven seasons of 200 or more strikeouts. Mad Max whiffed 11 Marlins over eight innings in a 9-1 Nationals win, quite the way to mark his 34th birthday.

Wednesday, Dec. 18 - 6:30 p.m. - You want to know how Ryan Zimmerman earned the moniker of "Mr. Walk-off"? Days like July 6, 2006, that's how. While Zimmerman is known for sudden-death homers, he hasn't always had to rely on the longball to come through in the clutch. The Nats and Marlins labored for 11 innings before scratching across a run to walk off the Fish 8-7. Zimmerman played the hero in this one, his single to center field plating Brian Schneider, who had reached on an error, moved to second on a sacrifice and to third on a groundout.