Werth’s homer forces Game 5

Associated Press

WASHINGTON

A little less than two years ago, the Washington Nationals showered Jayson Werth with millions, persuading him to come show them how to win. On Thursday night, with one swing of his bat, Werth delivered a game-ending homer to extend his club’s surprising season and wipe away whatever disappointments marred his days in D.C.

Werth led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a 13-pitch at-bat against reliever Lance Lynn that ended with the ball landing beyond the wall in left field, giving the Nationals a tense 2-1 victory over the defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals and forcing a deciding Game 5 in their NL division series.

“That’s the way that game should have ended: Jayson Werth hitting a home run,” Nationals manager Davey Johnson said. “He has not hit that many this year. ... Unbelievable. Great effort on his part.”

The best-of-five series will end tonight in Washington, with the winner advancing to face the San Francisco Giants in the NL championship series. The starters will provide a rematch of Game 1, which Washington won, with Gio Gonzalez on the mound for the NL East champion Nationals, and Adam Wainwright for the wild-card Cardinals.

“It’s what you play all season for, and what you work out all winter for, and what you get to spring training early for,” Werth said. “We have a chance [today] to take that next step. I know my teammates will be ready. And the city will, too.”

The homer was Werth’s first of the series, the 14th of his postseason career. He won the 2008 World Series and a string of division titles with the Phillies, then moved to Washington before last season as a free agent.