Wood's rally-stopping 93.1 mph throw to plate checks out with Nats

WASHINGTON -- Home run crusher. Extra-base slugger. James Wood added defensive game-saver to his Major League checklist in the top of the ninth inning on Friday night against the Pirates.

Wood hurled a pinpointed 93.1 mph throw from left field to nab the potential game-tying run at home plate and secure the Nats’ 6-5 comeback win at Nationals Park.

“He does insane things I've never seen players do before,” third baseman Brady House said. “It’s awesome that he got out, but I wasn't surprised at all. It's James. He does things that you can't imagine sometimes.”

With one out and the Pirates threatening to overcome the Nationals’ rally, pinch-hitter Joey Bart logged a 108.1 mph ground-ball single off closer Jose A. Ferrer into left field. Nick Yorke scored to cut Washington’s lead to one run, and Alexander Canario rounded third base looking to tie it up.

“It’s just kind of like, ‘Here we go,’” the 22-year-old Wood said. “You’re trying to get a good hop so you can easily transfer and get the ball out quick.”

Wood cleanly fielded the grounder and delivered the fastest-tracked assist of his young career. Veteran backup catcher Jorge Alfaro received the one-hopper and tagged out a sliding Canario to preserve the lead.

“I felt kind of awkward out there, because I was kind of just standing out there,” Wood said with a laugh. “It’s not like a home run, you run around the bases, or a double, you’re sprinting the whole time. I was just kind of watching like everybody else once I let go of the ball.”

So what did everyone else see when Wood made the throw? Let’s go around the field to get their perspectives.

Nationals interim manager Miguel Cairo

“That was an unbelievable throw. He’s been working so hard on defense. We know who he is about hitting, offense, but he’s putting in his time. The hard work that he’s been doing with [first-base coach Gerardo] Parra, it’s paying off. You can see how he wants to be elite, he wants to be a complete player. That’s his goal. It was nice to see that beautiful throw in there.”

Pirates manager Don Kelly

"It was a great throw by him. I thought it was a great send by Rabs [third-base coach Mike Rabelo], pushing the envelope there. It took a really good throw by Wood to get him. To tell a guy how to slide in that moment, he's just trying to get to home plate any way he can."

House

“Everything was going pretty fast. But as he threw it, I knew it was hard enough and it was on the line. It was just me letting it go. It was a bullet. It was a great throw by him. Whenever he was called out, that was awesome.”

Right fielder Dylan Crews

“His first steps have improved tremendously. You’ve obviously seen his throws now, too. His throws have been great. He’s been having awesome transitions from coming in, getting the ball and throwing it into the base. It’s been accurate. He’s been working hard really with G.P. In my eyes, he’s a Gold Glove left fielder. It just shows that hard work pays off for him.”

Starting pitcher Brad Lord

“They put it all on the line every night. Seeing him throw a guy out like that, I was jumping up and down and yelling in here. It's awesome. It's a huge morale boost for everybody. We've known this all along, what [the outfielders] can do, so it's awesome to see it.”