Byron Kerr

Game 142 lineups: Phillies at Nats

September 10, 2016, 7:38am

The Nationals are still buzzing about the impact of Trea Turner on Friday night. Turner smacked a two-run homer in the seventh that looked like it would go through the left field stands 12 rows up, then connected on a dramatic walk-off homer to center field that bounced off the angled wall near the Bud Light Loft. The Nats won 5-4 over the Phillies. It was Turner's first career walk-off homer. He even allowed Anthony Rendon to measure up and dump a bucket of ice cold Gatorade on his head....

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With Potomac and Hagerstown eliminated, Ross looking for simulated game

September 10, 2016, 2:49am

Nationals

With Potomac and Hagerstown eliminated, Ross looking for simulated game

High Single-A Potomac fell at Lynchburg 3-1 in Game 3 of the best-of-three Carolina League Northern Division series Friday night. The Hillcats won the series, two games to one. The loss ended the P-Nats' season despite a tremendous effort from left-hander Matt Crownover, who allowed one earned run over six innings. The P-Nats were just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Potomac had won the first game at home 7-0, but lost Game 2 6-5 in 14 innings. The P-Nats were one strike away from...

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Must-wins tonight for Potomac and Hagerstown

September 09, 2016, 4:55am

Nationals

Must-wins tonight for Potomac and Hagerstown

Bobby Bradley's walk-off single forced the high Single-A Potomac Nationals into a must-win Game 3 tonight in the Carolina League divisional semifinals. The winner gets a berth in the Mills Cup Finals. Bradley's single lifted Lynchburg to a 6-5 win in 14 innings. Bryan Mejia and Victor Robles each tallied three base hits. Starter Hector Silvestre allowed three runs over five innings. Neil Holland (0-1) gave up four hits and one run over 1 2/3 innings to take the loss. Potomac will start...

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Giolito, Ramos and others find way to beat Braves after Strasburg leaves early

September 07, 2016, 9:36pm

Nationals

Giolito, Ramos and others find way to beat Braves after Strasburg leaves early

On a night when the Nationals lost right-hander Stephen Strasburg to a possible elbow injury, the club rallied to beat the Braves 5-4 in 11 innings, completing a three-game sweep. With the bases loaded in the 11th, Wilson Ramos dropped a run-scoring single off of reliever Brandon Cunniff over left fielder Jace Peterson's outstretched glove to win it. Jayson Werth scored from third and the Nationals had won their 14th game out of 16 against Atlanta this season. Over the past 35 games against...

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Trea Turner builds off of inside-the-park experience

September 07, 2016, 4:49am

Nationals

Trea Turner builds off of inside-the-park experience

Center fielder Trea Turner faced another play he hasn't seen before in his new position in Tuesday's 9-7 comeback win over the Braves. In the top of the second inning, Dansby Swanson's drive over Turner's head ricocheted violently high off the right-center field wall and rolled 50 feet away from him. Swanson was able to run all the way home with his first career homer, an inside-the-park job. The Braves led 3-0. Initially, the drive took Turner a bit by surprise. "Two strikes, fastball up...

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Baker confirms Strasburg will start Wednesday night

September 06, 2016, 8:01pm

Nationals

Baker confirms Strasburg will start Wednesday night

Nationals manager Dusty Baker made it official after Tuesday's 9-7 win over Atlanta: Right-hander Stephen Strasburg will return from the disabled list to start Wednesday's final game of the series against the Braves. Strasburg has not pitched since Aug. 17 in Denver, when he allowed nine runs on nine hits in 1 2/3 innings. Strasburg has been on the disabled list since Aug. 21 with right elbow soreness. But Baker said before Tuesday night's game that Strasburg has looked good in his...

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Nats rally on Rendon's grand slam (Nats win 9-7)

September 06, 2016, 3:45pm

Nationals

Nats rally on Rendon's grand slam (Nats win 9-7)

The Braves were able to connect off left-hander Gio Gonzalez quickly in the first inning. Ender Inciarte singled and then scored on an Adonis Garcia double that rolled all the way to the right-field wall. Two batters later, a Matt Kemp grounder scored Garcia for a 2-0 Braves lead. The Braves added a run in the second on one of the rarest plays in baseball. Former Vanderbilt star Dansby Swanson slammed a pitch off of the right-center field wall and the ball ricocheted past center fielder Trea...

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Murphy and Zimmerman to be honored before games this week

September 06, 2016, 1:38pm

Nationals

Murphy and Zimmerman to be honored before games this week

The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association will recognize second baseman Daniel Murphy as the Nationals' 2016 Heart and Hustle Award winner before tonight's game against the Braves. The award honors active players who demonstrate a passion for baseball and best embody the values, spirit and tradition of the game. The Heart and Hustle Award is the only award in Major League Baseball that is voted on by former players. Nationals manager Dusty Baker has noticed how seriously Murphy...

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Is Max Scherzer on schedule to pitch first game of postseason?

September 06, 2016, 3:20am

Nationals

Is Max Scherzer on schedule to pitch first game of postseason?

Right-hander Max Scherzer was moved from his scheduled start of Sunday night against the second-place Mets to Monday afternoon against the last-place Braves. Many felt it might have been a better choice to keep Scherzer where he was against the team that had a better chance of catching the Nationals or securing a wild card spot. Scherzer went out and delivered anyway, going seven innings and allowing two runs in the Nationals' 6-4 victory over Atlanta. The loss snapped the Braves' win streak...

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Turner, Heisey guide Scherzer past Braves 6-4

September 05, 2016, 4:11pm

Nationals

Turner, Heisey guide Scherzer past Braves 6-4

Manager Dusty Baker rested five starters on Monday and the Nationals went out and scored more runs than they have in their past eight games. The Nationals dropped the Braves 6-4, thanks to the offense of Trea Turner and Chris Heisey and the pitching of Max Scherzer. Turner went 3-for-4 with a double, two-run homer and three RBIs, and Heisey blasted a three-run shot, as the Nats snapped a two-game skid, winning the first of 10 games in a row at Nats Park. The bench that stepped up: Heisey, Jose...

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Scherzer, Turner spark Nationals to 6-4 win over Braves

September 05, 2016, 12:35pm

Nationals

Despite residing in last place in the National League East, the Braves have won six in a row and continued to hit the ball well to start the series against the Nationals. In the second, Nick Markakis singled with one away. Following a walk to Anthony Recker, Jace Peterson laced a double down the left field line to give the Braves a 1-0 lead. But Max Scherzer retaliated by getting Gordon Beckham on a called third strike, a 96 mph four-seam fastball. Scherzer then induced a weak grounder to first...

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Baker on resting five regulars, plus updates on Drew, Solis and Ross

September 05, 2016, 11:26am

Nationals

Baker on resting five regulars, plus updates on Drew, Solis and Ross

After a 5-1 loss at the New York Mets last night and an early-morning arrival back in D.C. today, Nationals manager Dusty Baker decided to give five regulars the day off. Baker said he wanted to rest six players today but couldn't because of the depth problem at third base. "Well, five regulars out, I'd have Anthony Rendon out, too, if I had a guy that could play third," Baker said. "Because of ESPN, who I like a lot, that game last night messed us up today because it was already scheduled...

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Game 137 lineups: Braves at Nationals

September 05, 2016, 5:50am

Nationals

The Nationals finally come home after being on the road for most of the latter stages of August. Even with a series loss in New York, the Nationals still maintain an 8 1/2-game lead over the Mets for first place in the National League East with 25 regular seasons games remaining. The Nationals still are 39-18 against NL East opponents. That is the most wins in the major leagues by any team against its own division. The Nationals are 11-2 against the Braves, tied for the most wins against a...

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By the numbers, Trea Turner showing he can stay with the best leadoff hitters

September 03, 2016, 6:35am

Nationals

By the numbers, Trea Turner showing he can stay with the best leadoff hitters

Trea Turner stole two bases in the first inning Friday to help begin the scoring for the Nationals in their 4-1 win over the Mets. Playing center field, Turner has excelled in the leadoff spot with 20 stolen bases in 45 games this season. Turner is the first rookie in franchise historyto steal at least 20 bases since Mike Lansing stole 23 for the Expos in 1993. We had this discussion on Wednesday at "Nats Xtra," with Ray Knight asking to name some of the top leadoff men in the history of...

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Juan Soto promoted to short-season Auburn

September 01, 2016, 11:42am

Nationals

Juan Soto promoted to short-season Auburn

Right fielder Juan Soto has torn up the Gulf Coast League in his 45 games. So much so that the Nationals have promoted the 17-year-old corner outfielder from rookie level to short-season Single-A Auburn. Soto has hit .361 with 11 doubles, three triples, five homers, five stolen bases and 31 RBIs with the GCL Nats. Soto should end up leading the GCL in average, slugging percentage (.550) and OPS (.960). He likely will be second in on-base percentage in the league (.410). The lefty-hitting right...

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Voth, Stevenson highlight Nats prospects invited to Arizona Fall League

August 31, 2016, 1:01pm

Nationals

Voth, Stevenson highlight Nats prospects invited to Arizona Fall League

The Arizona Fall League announced rosters for the offseason league where top prospects play games in October and November. The Nationals have six prospects who have been invited to play for the Glendale Desert Dogs. Right-handed pitchers Austin Voth and Ryan Brinley will join left-hander Nick Lee on the team. The Nationals appear to have one more pitching slot available to be named at a later date. The spot could be offered to right-hander Erick Fedde. Infielders Osvaldo Abreu and Drew Ward...

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Trea Turner named to International League postseason All-Star team

August 30, 2016, 11:40am

Nationals

Trea Turner named to International League postseason All-Star team

Trea Turner has been named as the starting shortstop on the Triple-A International League postseason All-Star team. The 23-year-old is currently the starting center fielder for the Nationals at the big league level. Here is the release noting the honor from the Syracuse Chiefs: "(Turner) ranked among the top two in the IL in runs (61), triples (8), at-bats (331), stolen bases (25), hits (100), extra-base hits (36) and doubles (22) in 83 games. The 23-year-old still holds the league's...

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Baker on Zimmerman struggles and Ross update

August 29, 2016, 4:14am

Nationals

Baker on Zimmerman struggles and Ross update

Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman's cold spell has continued longer than he or the Nats had hoped. Manager Dusty Baker and Zimmerman pointed to August and September as the usual time of the season he gets rolling. In his career, that has been true. Since 2005, Zimmerman has hit .308 in July, .302 in August and .293 in September/October. In his career, there are three months that he has hit 40 more home runs: May (45), August (44) and September/October (40). He has a combined 124 doubles...

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Giolito didn't see the improvement he wanted in tough loss

August 28, 2016, 1:48pm

Nationals

Giolito didn't see the improvement he wanted in tough loss

Right-hander Lucas Giolito was hoping to hit the ground running as he made his return to the big leagues after some solid performances at Triple-A Syracuse. But the Rockies' Nolan Arenado and David Dahl had other ideas. Arenado smacked a two-run shot and Dahl followed with a solo homer, highlighting a three-run third inning as Colorado defeated the Nationals 5-3. Giolito allowed four runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts, having to throw 100 pitches in five innings in his first...

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Turner gets Nats on board (Nats fall 5-3)

August 28, 2016, 10:02am

Nationals

Turner gets Nats on board (Nats fall 5-3)

The Rockies got to Lucas Giolito to begin the game with a single and a walk. Charlie Blackmon singled and then went to second on a free pass to DJ LeMahieu. Nolan Arenado smacked a RBI single to left field and the Rockies lead 1-0. But Giolito settled down and got his fastball to 94 mph, earning a soft pop-up to third base and a grounder to second to end the frame. He threw 24 pitches in the first inning. Trea Turner quickly got the Nationals even in the bottom of the first on a solo shot to...