Washington Nationals’ lineup for series finale with the Arizona Diamondbacks...

After the Washington Nationals’ seventh loss in the last ten games and their eighth loss in nine one-run games this season, first-year skipper Davey Martinez talked to his team to let them know he thinks the effort is there in spite of the results in the first month-plus.

Though they blew a lead late in yesterday’s game and had back-to-back walks, the second with the bases loaded, decide the game, the Nationals fought til the end, loading the bases themselves in the bottom of the tenth before a Michael A. Taylor groundout ended things.

Martinez’s message for his team?

“I said, ‘I love the way you guys are playing the game, I do,’” Martinez said. “We’re doing the little things, we’re just not — at an opportune time, we had the bases loaded, a chance to win the game at the end there, we just couldn’t get that hit, even though Michael hit the ball hard, we just can’t get that hit, so I’m proud of them, I am, and this thing will turn around, I know it will.”

Martinez addressed his own mistake, on a botched pitching change late in the game, and told the Nationals as a team that he likes the effort he’s getting on a daily basis.

“I told them all, ‘Hey, you guys are playing with heart. I love it. And you guys are pulling for each other, and this thing will change, just let’s believe in ourselves and keep going, keep fighting, that’s all I ask you guys to do. Keep fighting. Keep believing.”

With yesterday’s loss the Nationals are now 3-9 at home in Nationals Park this season, with eight more to play on the current homestand, starting with this afternoon’s series finale vs the Diamondbacks.

HERE’S THE NATIONALS’ LINEUP FOR TODAY’S GAME WITH THE D-BACKS: