Playoff bound

By Dan Kolko

Nationals

September 20, 2012, 6:03pm

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Congratulations, D.C. For the first time in 79 years, you now officially are the home of a playoff baseball team. The same Nationals who lost 103 games three seasons ago are now heading to the postseason, this after notching a 4-1 win over the Dodgers tonight. There is no giant pile-up on the field as the Nats celebrate, and we don't expect to see any champagne in the clubhouse. The Nats have their eyes set on a bigger goal - winning the National League East, and there's still a little ways to go until they get there. The magic number for the division title now sits at eight with 13 games remaining on the Nationals' schedule. They locked up the playoff spot tonight with six strong innings from Ross Detwiler, who notches his 10th win of the season and gives the Nats four starters with double-digit wins. Detwiler also lowered his season ERA to 3.10, ninth-best in the NL. detwiler throwing atlanta sidebar.jpg

Ryan Zimmerman, Danny Espinosa and Kurt Suzuki provided the RBIs for the Nats, who again played some small-ball, stealing three bases and plating a run on a wild pitch. Drew Storen closed it out in the ninth, striking out the side, and players spilled onto the field to give high fives and pats on the back. It's a nice moment, but the guys in the clubhouse sure feel like there are bigger ones to come.