WASHINGTON -- Ildemaro Vargas caught the excitement emanating from the Nationals' dugout as he bolted from second base and dove into home plate. 

“I saw all the guys run out and they were like, ‘Come on! Come on!’” Vargas said. “It feels like winter ball.” 

The veteran utility player scored the walk-off run in the Nationals' 3-2 victory over the Brewers on Wednesday afternoon to clinch the series. It marked Washington’s first walk-off victory over Milwaukee since July 20, 2014, when Jayson Werth doubled off Rob Wooten to drive in Anthony Rendon at Nationals Park.

“As I said all year, they’re relentless,” said manager Dave Martinez. “We’re going to play hard for 27 outs, we’re going to try to compete. And they did it again today.” 

The Nationals entered the ninth inning trailing, 2-1, with All-Star reliever Devin Williams on trying for the save. They had been 2-58 on the season when behind after the eighth frame. 

Corey Dickerson, who was released after the game, began the ninth inning by reaching first base on a fielding error by first baseman Carlos Santana. Dominic Smith singled in a 1-2 count, then pinch-hitter Keibert Ruiz drew a six-pitch walk to load the bases with no outs.

Martinez tabbed Vargas to pinch-run for Smith with Alex Call coming to the plate. Call chopped a 76.1 mph grounder toward third base, where Andruw Monasterio fielded the ball cleanly but then rushed his throw and fired wide to catcher William Contreras at home plate. Dickerson slid home with the tying run on the throw just as the ball got past Contreras, then Vargas charged home as the ball escaped toward the Nats' dugout. He evaded Contreras' toss to Williams covering the plate to wrap up an electric win. 

On a scale of 1 to 10, Martinez estimated Vargas’ energy was a “15.” 

“When I saw the ball get by Contreras and he turned around to get the ball, it seemed like he tripped a little bit,” Vargas said. “I anticipated, and I felt like at that point I was definitely going to be able to have a chance to make it. Luckily, I did.” 

Call, meanwhile, thought the Brewers would try to convert a double play and nab the runners at home and first. As he dashed down the first-base line to try to avoid an anticipated second out, he heard a commotion from the home crowd.

“I was like, ‘Something good must be happening,’” Call said. “[I] turned around and saw Vargas score, so it was awesome.” 

The Nats have hit a stride at Nationals Park. They have won their past four home series against Milwaukee, Colorado, San Francisco and Texas. Dating back to June 24, they are 18-16 overall.

“I don't think we played well enough to win today,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “We did very little offensively. And then we played poor defense in the last inning. That's going to get you beat.”

In a series that involved the departure of veteran starting third baseman Jeimer Candelario and the Trade Deadline, the Nationals are headed to Cincinnati with a memorable victory over the division-contending Brewers. 

“It was awesome,” said Martinez. “It was a good win. That club is really good. To come out with two wins in a three-game series, it feels good.”