Good, Bad and Ugly: Nationals Delay the Invevitable, Beat Dodgers 5-4

  "I thought it was a good time to go. I figured [McDonald] wasn't really worried about me after us moving the runner on the bunt." —Justin Maxwell, on stealing third in the ninth with one out, Sept. 23, 2009. The Result The Washington Nationals scored runs in the eighth and ninth innings, taking a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers, before 18,635 at Nationals Park. The win staves off loss No. 100 for at least one more night, and prohibited L.A. from clinching a playoff spot, again, for at least one more game.  The Nats are 52-99 for the season. Justin Maxwell started the ninth inning rally with a single down the left-field line off reliever James McDonald. Alberto Gonzalez sacrificed Maxwell up to second, and the lanky center fielder easily stole third on a curveball from McDonald (L, 5-5, 3.99), who was not paying much attention to the base runner. Jorge Padilla, inserted for defense in the top of the inning, drew a five-pitch walk, setting up&...