#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Hitting the home stretch of the offseason

Who's ready to turn the page to the 2021 season?

Well, in just a few weeks (pandemic willing, mind you), spring training will be upon us. There are few words more glorious to a baseball-starved fan than "pitchers and catchers report." Well, "full-squad workout" and "Play ball!" are pretty close.

While we wait for things to get underway in West Palm Beach, Fla., MASN will continue to feed your baseball jones with "Nationals Classics" from days past. This week's offerings include a gutsy performance by an ace, some game-winning heroics and a few prodigious pokes.

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

Thursday, Jan. 28 - 7 p.m. - We'll blast off this week's games with a trio of homers from Adam Dunn that did in the Padres on July 7, 2010. Dunn went deep three times and drove in five runs in a 7-6 win over the Friars. His eighth-inning solo shot off Joe Thatcher was the decisive blow.

Friday, Jan. 29 - 7 p.m. - Max Scherzer is simply one of the most determined pitchers to toe a rubber. On June 19, 2019 - a day after breaking his nose in a freak batting practice mishap - Scherzer went out and dominated the Phillies, working seven four-hit innings and striking out 10 in a 2-0 victory. Grunting and stalking Scherzer is usually intimidating enough. Add in a black eye and you've got the stuff of legend.

Saturday, Jan. 30 - 7 p.m. - This past Aug. 10, the Nationals got their lumber cranking and took down the Mets in a 16-4 triumph at Citi Field. Juan Soto and Asdrúbal Cabrera did most of the damage. The former homered and drove in three runs, while the latter had two homers and five RBIs among his four hits.

Sunday, Jan. 31 - 11:30 p.m. - You had to like the Nats' chances against the Mets in extra innings on July 17, 2012. Though the Mets had taken a 4-3 lead in the top of the 10th, the homestanding Nats came through with a walk-off win. Bryce Harper's one-out RBI triple in the bottom half knotted the score again, and the Nats proceeded to load the bases on a pair of intentional walks by reliever Tim Byrdak, who got Adam LaRoche to ground into a forceout at home before Pedro Beato relieved. Facing Tyler Moore, Beato uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Ryan Zimmerman to score the winning run in a 5-4 thriller.

Monday, Feb. 1 - 6 p.m. - The final game of the 2009 season saw the Nats battle the Braves at Turner Field in a tight affair that went 15 innings before the visitors prevailed 2-1. Alberto González's RBI single made all the difference.

Tuesday, Feb. 2 - 11 a.m. - Wilson Ramos came through in a pinch on May 4, 2012, stroking a bases-loaded single to center off Michael Schwimmer to give the Nats a 4-3 victory in 11 innings.

Tuesday, Feb. 2 - 11:30 p.m. - Our Groundhog Day doubleheader concludes with this retro game from July 11, 2011, a 3-2 win over the Cubs. In the bottom of the 10th, pinch-hitter Jayson Werth drew a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by pinch-hitter Liván Hernández, swiped third and scampered home on a wild pitch by Carlos Marmol.