The kid and the veteran team up for one shining moment

The first time he did it, way back on Father's Day 2006 off the Yankees' Chien-Ming Wang, Ryan Zimmerman was a 21-year-old rookie third baseman, with a whole career still ahead of him and no clue how winding a path he would take despite spending all of it as a National.

Juan Soto? He was a 7-year-old kid in Santo Domingo who perhaps already had dreams of one day playing in the major leagues but surely could not have envisioned playing alongside Zimmerman in a ballpark in Washington that had not yet been built.

The 11th time that he did it, tonight off the Phillies' Seranthony Domínguez, Zimmerman was a 33-year-old first baseman, still battling in big spots at the plate but also battling the nicks, bruises and more serious injuries that have come to define his career as much as his on-field success.

Soto? He's now a 19-year-old rookie, very much living the dream, wanting nothing more than to reach out and grab Zimmerman as the latter circled the bases following the walk-off homer that gave the Nationals a dramatic 8-7 victory tonight.

But wait a second, Juan! Don't get too close to Zimmerman until he actually rounds third and touches the plate following a replay review that forced him to stand patiently on second base while officials in New York correctly determined that his drive to right field with two outs in the bottom of the ninth actually did clear the fence before bouncing back onto the grass below.

"You know if (Soto) touches him, he's out," manager Davey Martinez said. "I was screaming bloody murder."

As was Zimmerman, who wasn't 100 percent sure about the consequences but was 100 percent sure this was no time to find out.

"Get away! Get away!" he screamed at the kid as he rounded third. "I don't even know the rules, but get away!"

Fortunately, for everyone involved, Soto realized what he needed to do in time and backed off before joining the rest of the roster in the celebration at the plate.

"I just ran around, and Zim was like: 'Get away!'" the rookie said. "And I was like: 'What are you talking about?' Then I turn around and see everybody at home plate and said: 'Damn, I have to be there.'"

There was no Robin Ventura moment tonight at Nationals Park, only a thrilling victory by the home team, which in spite of its diminishing odds, veterans traded away by a front office that essentially waved the white flag on Tuesday afternoon and precious few days remaining on the schedule nonetheless have not given up on 2018.

Given up for dead off the field, the Nationals won 8-7 and have now beaten the Phillies twice in a row on the field. On Thursday afternoon, they will send Max Scherzer to the mound in search of their first three-game series sweep since Memorial Day week in Baltimore. They still remain 7 1/2 games behind first-place Atlanta in the division, but they've narrowed the gap with second-place Philadelphia to 4 1/2 games.

"That was fun," Martinez said. "Zim, unbelievable. The boys didn't quit."

Especially the youngest player in the majors. who ignited the last-ditch rally tonight with yet another impressive at-bat.

Soto had singled in a run in the bottom of the third, but that was the only time he'd made contact in this game, striking out three times for only the second time since arriving in the big leagues on May 20. Now he came up to bat with two outs in the ninth, the Nationals trailing 7-6 and Domínguez firing up fastballs approaching triple digits.

Soto fell behind in the count 1-2, took a fastball just off the plate for a ball, then fouled off Dominguez's first 2-2 attempt. Finally, he turned on a 98-mph heater and drove it down the right field line for the double that kept the game alive.

"Look for a fastball, try to hit it with the barrel," Soto said of his approach in the at-bat. "I know the ball is going to jump if I hit it with the barrel."

"I think that shows you what kind of person and player he is to be able to do it," Zimmerman said of Soto's rebound after striking out three times. "Put those at-bats behind him and grind out an at-bat like that in a huge situation to give us a chance. He's done that since he's come out here. If he doesn't have that at-bat, there's no chance for me or anyone else behind me to do anything."

Zimmerman also was 1-for-4 on the evening when he stepped to the plate for a situation he has faced countless times in his 14-year career. He hadn't delivered a walk-off homer, though, in more than three years, not since he took then-Yankees lefty Andrew Miller deep into the right field bullpen on May 19, 2015.

The drought ended tonight, though not without a few moments of uncertainty. Zimmerman knew he got good wood on Domínguez's 2-1 fastball, and having hit plenty of balls toward that portion of right-center field before, he knew what it would take to clear the green fence that serves as the boundary between field and stands.

But when first base umpire Eric Cooper made the "safe" sign to signal the ball was still in play, Zimmerman had no choice but to scamper into second base to beat the throw, all the way making the home run motion above his head to anyone and everyone who could see him.

"They made the right decision right there," Zimmerman said. "I think you've got to call it safe if it's close right there. They probably would've just placed me at second (if it went the other way), but that's what they're supposed to do. It's a good crew. They made the right call and then let the replay look at it and then go from there."

Martinez did have to formally ask crew chief Gary Cederstrom to review it - "Gary was actually pretty funny: 'I can't believe you want to challenge that,' " the manager said - but it didn't take long for replay officials in New York to overturn it and award Zimmerman his home run.

By then, the entire dugout had spilled onto the field and was just waiting for Zimmerman to reach the plate before dousing him with Gatorade and other assorted liquids. It's a feeling the veteran has experienced more than almost anyone who has ever played the game.

Zimmerman now is one of only 10 players in major league history to hit 11 or more walk-off homers, and the list is a who's who of Hall of Famers and elite sluggers. Jim Thome is the all-time leader with 13. Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Albert Pujols, Frank Robinson and Babe Ruth all did it 12 times. David Ortiz and Tony Perez also did it 11 times.

Why does Zimmerman thrive in these situations? His answer has remained consistent through the years.

"You can't try to do too much," he said. "The second you try to do stuff like that, it doesn't happen. Those guys are supposed to get you out. That guy's nasty. That guy's been really good for facing a game in the ninth inning in a close game, and the other team has the lead. Those guys are usually pretty good. So I think that kind of put the pressure all on them. They're supposed to get me out."

Eleven times, they haven't. And tonight, the youngest member of the roster got a chance to witness it for the first time.

"He's impressive," Soto said. "He's a really good guy. He always competes and never gives up. That's what I probably love of him. And I'm here with him. If he never gives up, I don't."