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Nationals Magic Number provides daily updates as the Washington Nationals try to win their division. Today’s magic number for the Nats to clinch the N.L. East: 10
What else is 10: Nats shortstop Ian Desmond is not afraid of commitment. He was 10 years old when he and his fifth-grade classmate Chelsey Edwards first began dating, whatever that means in elementary school. They’re married now, and based on Chelsey Desmond‘s own skills as a shortstop, they appear to be very well matched. It has also been 10 years since the Montreal Expos drafted Desmond in their final year before moving to D.C., making Desmond the longest-tenured current Nats player. Here’s hoping the trend holds when Desmond’s contract expires at the end of 2015—although he reportedly declined to sign a long-term deal with the Nats before this season.
What happened yesterday: The Nats won for the second night in a row against the second-place Braves, with Drew Storen recording his third save in three nights. Not surprisingly, fans’ embrace of the Storen redemption narrative continued to tighten.
What’s happening today: The series finale between the Nats and the Braves starts this afternoon at 4:05 p.m. at Nationals Park. If the Braves keep losing, it won’t be long before we’re talking about the Nats’ lead over the second-place Miami Marlins.