Suero excited to earn first big league save

In another one-run nail biter, it was inevitable that the Nationals bullpen would have to find a way to come up with important outs and escape a major jam to finish the game against the first-place team in the National League East.

Now sprinkle in a tired bullpen with five relievers having pitched the day before in a 7-4 win over the Phillies.

The card-carrying member of the resilient warriors not named Sean Doolittle in this bullpen right now is right-hander Wander Suero, who came up the biggest Friday night, recording his first major league save in the Nationals' 4-3 triumph over the red-hot Atlanta Braves.

"It's like, for instance, a position player hitting his first big-league home run," said Victor Robles via interpreter Octavio Martinez. "It's his first big league save in an important situation. I'm very proud of him. It was in a big moment. I was very happy for him."

For Suero, that's three appearances in three days. It is a situation this bullpen has not been able to sustain during the season. With zero days of rest, the bullpen had an 8.49 ERA coming in. But emotion of the moment helped the right-hander. Suero said he was pumped up when Nationals manager Davey Martinez called on him again, this time in the ninth inning.

"We talked to him before the game," Davey said. "He said he was good. I said, 'OK, you got the ninth.' And he was jacked up."

"Because of the confidence he's given me, especially lately in big situations, despite my numbers not being where I'd like them to be, he keeps giving me the confidence and so I'm definitely excited and ready to be out there and help out any way I can," Suero said via Octavio Martinez.

Martinez knew Suero had it in him to pitch again, and in a closer spot. The skipper knew regular closer Sean Doolittle was off limits.

"He said he was good," Davey Martinez said of Suero. "When I told him he's got the ninth, his eyes lit up. He assured me he was good."

With the Nats up 4-3 in the top of the ninth, Suero got himself into the aforementioned jam. And then found a way to get out of it with some big-time assistance from Robles.

Suero walked Brian McCann on five pitches. Johan Camargo came on to pinch-run. Ozzie Albies singled to center field to put two men on. He represented the go-ahead run.

Suero then got pinch-hitter Charlie Culberson to line out to Robles in right field for the first out.

The right-hander then struck out Ronald Acuña Jr. swinging with a 96.6 mph cutter for the second out of the inning.

"I wasn't going to allow a single run to score," Suero said of the Acuña at-bat. "I put myself in that situation in a little bit of trouble, and I beared down and knew I had to get the outs and that's what I did."

Finally, Suero ended the game when Dansby Swanson lofted a fly ball to shallow right field and Robles came up with the best catch of the game ,sliding forward between Brian Dozier and Michael A. Taylor. Robles kept his eyes on the ball even with Dozier charging toward him from second base, then reached out and made the catch.

"I'm very confident in my team and my teammates," said Suero of the game-ending play. "I know how fast Robles is and I know how good of a defensive player Dozier is, so I know they were both attacking the ball very well, so I was actually excited jumping up and down even before they caught the ball because I knew it was going to be made."

Robles then looked at Suero, who was celebrating on the mound with his arms flailing in the air like he was swatting away a swarm of bees.

"I was going crazy," Suero said. "As you guys saw out there, I was jumping up and down excited. I was very emotional and excited out there."