The Washington Nationals fell to an agonizing 4-3 defeat in their game against the Miami Marlins on Saturday. But it was not all doom and gloom for the Nationals and their fans as the team’s “top paw-spect” made his long-awaited MLB debut.

The dog days of summer arrived Saturday at Nationals Park. Bruce, a 21-month-old golden retriever, fetched a bat during a ceremony before the Washington Nationals-Miami Marlins game.

The Washington Nationals had a call-up that everyone agreed will be fan favorite whether one likes the NL East team or another baseball franchise. On June 14, Bruce the Bat Dog debuted against the Miami Marlins.