Nationals complete 5-run comeback after Daylen Lile’s extra-inning heroics

CINCINNATI — As he watched the flight of the ball, Daylen Lile kept an even-keel demeanor.

But, once he was assured the ball was leaving the park, he turned toward his dugout and ran his hand across his neck, delivering a throat slash to signal the game was over.

Lile’s mammoth two-run homer in the 10th inning was the decisive blow in the Nationals’ 8-7 win over the Reds, completing a five-run comeback Wednesday night.

The gesturing continued after he crossed home plate and flexed toward CJ Abrams.

As soon as Lile made contact with the ball, there was no doubt at Great American Ballpark that it was leaving the park. He just looked at the flight of the ball with many of his family and friends in attendance because Cincinnati is the closest major league city to Louisville, Kentucky, his hometown.

Wednesday’s win was a shining example of how the Nationals’ lineup is beginning to show it’s more than James Wood and Abrams.

The Nationals trailed 5-0 in the top of the second inning before a leadoff double by Abrams. A line-drive single by Jacob Young put runners on first and third with no outs.

Lile’s sacrifice fly and Joey Weimer’s RBI double cut the lead to 5-2 before Nasim Nuńez grounded out. With a runner on third, Keibert Ruiz hit a two-out, two-run homer to make the score 5-4.

With the bases loaded in the top of the third, Weimer drew a walk that temporarily tied the game 5-5. The Reds scored the go-ahead run in the next half-inning after an error by Abrams.

With runners on first and second, Jake Irvin struck out Tyler Stephenson for the first out. But, on what could have been an inning-ending double play, Nuñez couldn’t field the ball cleanly and hurried to flip the ball to Abrams to get an out at second.

But, as Abrams squared his body to throw to Curtis Mead at first base, he misfired and the ball rolled out of play, allowing the go-ahead run to score.

Irvin went three innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on four hits, with four walks and four strikeouts. The bullpen did a phenomenal job covering for him.

Left-hander Mitchell Parker threw three scoreless innings, striking out two and walking one. Richard Lovelady and Orlando Ribalta combined to throw two scoreless innings.

Games like Wednesday best show where the team is in its development.

The defense remains a work in progress, and the starting pitching remains ineffective, but the offense looks to be legit. Weimer was 1-for-3 with two RBIs, and Ruiz was 1-for-4 with two RBIs.

That development will allow the Nationals to compete most nights.

The Reds are dealing with myriad injuries to their pitching staff, but they’re still above .500 and looking to compete in the increasingly competitive National League Central.