Harper's heroics lead Nats in walk-off win

We are witnessing the maturation of a budding superstar in Bryce Harper this week. After the Nationals blew a five-run lead, the 22-year-old with a flair for the dramatics clobbered a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to close out the Braves 8-6.

"Just right when I hit it, I knew it was gone," Harper said. "No disrespect to that other guy, I just knew it was gone. Got around the bases, pointed to right field because my fans out there, love them, so had to point out there. Got to home plate, being able to enjoy that with the team was huge."

That "other guy" was Braves' right-hander Cody Martin, who left a 1-0 slider hanging. Harper made him pay for it while becoming the second-youngest player to hit three walk-off homers before their 23rd birthday in the game's history. The only man with four, Hall of Famer and former Nats manager Frank Robinson, was in attendance today to have his name unveiled in the Nationals Ring of Honor.

The way Harper is going this week, his name will hang among Robinson's in a couple of decades.

"It's awesome," shortstop Ian Desmond said. "It's just so fun to watch. The work that he puts in and the amount of, I guess, I don't want to say wisdom he has for a young guy, but he just knows himself. He just knows what he needs to do on a daily basis. And it's really been kind of fun to watch him mature in the way that he is now."

Harper is 8-for-12 with six homers, 12 RBIs and seven runs scored in the last three games. Three games. That is a solid month for most major leaguers. He now leads the National League with 11 home runs.

"That's the way I need to play," Harper continues to say.

"Plain and simple. That's why the Nationals drafted me, that's the way I need to play that's the way I need to be. I need to stay in the lineup and keep having fun."

Harper's health is obviously paramount to his success. The past two years, he has been tagged as overrated, but injuries forced to him to miss over 100 games. With those setbacks behind him, Harper appears to be on his way to reaching the lofty expectations that have hovered over him since high school.

"I don't know if it's finally, he's still 22," manager Matt Williams said. "That's the perception a little bit, right? [People think,] 'Finally.' He's 22 years old, and just 22. I think he's starting to learn himself. He's learning how to play within himself. He's learning how to take what's given to him. He's taken to right field very well. He's taken to the middle of the order very well. We certainly don't expect him to hit a home run every day, but he can get in streaks like that where he's seeing the ball very well and putting the head on it.

"From a maturation standpoint, yes, he's getting there. He's taking those steps necessary."

Nats first baseman Ryan Zimmerman hit a big three-run homer in the fifth tonight. The 10-year veteran can speak from experience on what Harper is realizing right now. Zimmerman also smacked three walk-off bombs for the Nats before turning 23.

"He's obviously playing very well right now," Zimmerman said. "We've all kind of seen his talent and it's nice for him to put it together for a whole week here. Really this whole season he's been great. The great thing is he's still learning and he's gonna continue to get better.

"I think it's just sort of the maturation with him and him learning to play at this level, and it's fun to watch."

There is that key word again. Maturation. This is what the baseball world has waited for from the dynamic Harper.

Williams was an accomplished hitter with plenty of power during his 17-year career.

"I had the privilege to hit behind (Barry) Bonds for four years, so yeah," Williams said. "It's really good. He's taking what they give him. ... He's doing everything well right now. Playing great defense. He made a great play today on (Nick) Markakis, a couple of great sliding plays and of course the game winner. He's playing well."

Harper has been playing exceptional defense all season, and he made several running catches today. None was bigger than the over-the-shoulder grab he secured on a blistered liner hit by Markakis with two out and one in the seventh. Harper was asked to describe the show-stopping play after.

"Baby giraffe trying to get his legs underneath him," he joked. "Really. I was flustered trying to get that ball. Being able to get that ball over my head, was definitely huge. I just put it up and caught the ball."

But it was the monstrous clout from Harper that won this for the Nats. As the young phenom crossed the plate, the grizzled veteran Jayson Werth attempted to tear Harper's jersey off underneath a shower of Gatorade.

"All the buttons are ripped," Harper said. "He ripped the whole thing. Hopefully they can fix that tonight so I can wear it tomorrow."

I'm pretty sure it will be all sewn up, Bryce.