MIAMI — The ball hung in the air for five seconds and Jesse Winker stood still for every single one, creating the portrait of a man — and a team — that needed every bit of the ball he just got.
After the game, he said he just wanted to hit the ball in the air, hoping for a sacrifice fly that would give the Washington Nationals an insurance run in the fifth inning. Instead, he gave them much more: a grand slam into the second deck at LoanDepot Park, their first extra-base hit in 18 innings, his first since April 16 and, ultimately, a catalyzing force in an 11-4 win over the Miami Marlins on Saturday.
