The San Francisco Giants pulled off one of the most improbable comebacks in recent MLB history on Wednesday, erasing a 9-1 deficit in the eighth inning and winning 10-9 on a walk-off grand slam by rookie Bryce Eldridge. The surge began with a string of singles and walks against the Nationals bullpen, turning a seemingly hopeless game into a shocker at Oracle Park.
Eldridge, called up in May as a top prospect, delivered the decisive blow with two outs and the bases loaded. He crushed a 1-2 pitch over the right-field wall, capping a night that saw the Giants score nine unanswered runs. The Nationals had led comfortably behind a strong start, but their relievers collapsed, issuing four walks in the inning and failing to record a strikeout.
The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for San Francisco and kept them within striking distance in the National League wild-card race. For Washington, the loss was a gut punch, dropping them further below .500 and complicating their own postseason aspirations. The blown lead was the largest in Giants franchise history for a win after trailing by eight runs.
Next up for the Giants is a home series against the division-rival Dodgers, starting Friday. The Nationals will travel to Miami to face the Marlins, hoping to regroup after a devastating collapse. Eldridge's heroics will be a storyline that follows both clubs into the weekend.
"We never stopped believing," Eldridge said after the game. "Guys were on the bench saying it only takes one inning to change everything." Washington manager Dave Martinez lamented his bullpen's inability to throw strikes, calling the loss "a tough one to swallow."