Matt Williams on Bryce Harper: "He needs to stay in the baseball game"

FLUSHING, N.Y. - In a tie game with postseason implications in a playoff-type atmosphere, Bryce Harper, arguably the MVP of the National League, got himself ejected after striking out in the 11th inning.

"He needs to stay in the baseball game," manager Matt Williams repeated three times, after the Nationals lost 2-1 on Wilmer Flores' walk-off homer in the 12th.

Home plate umpire Jerry Meals was inconsistent throughout the game. Meals punched out Jayson Werth on a low and outside fastball to end an epic 13-pitch battle with ex-National Tyler Clippard in the eighth. Overall, the Nationals struck out a whopping 16 times over the 12 frames.

So when Meals rung up Harper on a 96-mph heater off the plate, the Nats slugger had enough. Harper immediately jumped in Meals' face, barking at him repeatedly. Briefly it appeared Meals gave Harper a chance to walk away, telling the 22-year-old to "back off." But there was no containing the heated Harper and Meals ran him from the game.

"I was sticking up for my team and myself at the same time," Harper explained. "He was bad all night."

All three of Harper's ejections this year have come on fiery explosions at the plate. The first, on a check swing argument, happened with the Nats and Diamondbacks deadlocked in a 5-5 game in the eighth on May 13.

"I want him to stay in every game," Williams said. "We've talked about it. We'll talk about it again."

Harper's uncontrolled temper not only left the Nats without one of the game's most dangerous hitters, but it forced Williams into a defensive quandary. Capable reserves Clint Robinson, Tyler Moore and Danny Espinosa had already been burned as pinch-hitters or runners. So Werth ended up taking over for Harper in right field with Ryan Zimmerman shifting to left and Dan Uggla entered the game at first base. It was the first time in Uggla's 10-year career in the majors that the 35-year-old played any position other than second base.

"I think everybody was probably a little surprised," said the veteran Uggla about Harper's reaction.

Harper ended up 0-for-5 on the night and is now hitless in 17 at-bats against Mets right-hander Matt Harvey.

Ian Desmond has witnessed the maturation of Harper over the past four years.

"It shows me that he really wants it and he's passionate about it," Desmond said after acknowledging the Nats need Harper in the game. "He didn't check out. He was in it. The emotions got the best of him, which has happened a lot in the past and this year he's managed to tone that down a lot. I'm proud of him. Obviously, not for getting ejected tonight but how he's handled himself all year with the umpires.

"It's a huge improvement so I'm not gonna beat him up over one mistake but I'll obviously talk to him and let him know to try to keep it under control next time, which I'm sure he was trying to do all game. But I'm not gonna beat him up over that because he's been doing a great job."