Byron Kerr

Nats score five runs in first (Nats win 9-1)

April 15, 2016, 3:36pm

PHILADELPHIA -- The Nationals greeted Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson rudely in the first inning. Apparently, Michael A. Taylor took full advantage of his day off. Taylor crushed a solo shot well over the left field wall off a 1-0 pitch and the Nationals jumped out to a 1-0 lead. Anthony Rendon lined out to third baseman Makiel Franco, who was protecting himself by making the waist-high catch. Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman hit sharp singles and Daniel Murphy walked to load the...

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Dusty Baker's thoughts on the legacy of Jackie Robinson

April 15, 2016, 3:03pm

Nationals

Dusty Baker's thoughts on the legacy of Jackie Robinson

PHILADELPHIA -- Major League Baseball is honoring the legacy of Jackie Robinson today as it has on every April 15 since 2004. Robinson broke the color barrier on April 15, 1947, becoming the first African-American player to play in the major leagues in the modern era. To honor the pioneer, every player, coach and manager in the game is wearing his jersey No. 42 at all of today's scheduled games. Those teams - like the Nationals - who are playing on the road will have a future home day where...

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Revere makes trip, no timetable set for his return

April 15, 2016, 2:23pm

Nationals

Revere makes trip, no timetable set for his return

PHILADELPHIA - Injured outfielder Ben Revere made the trip here with his teammates. Revere is on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to April 5, due to a stained right oblique suffered in the first game of the season at Atlanta. But Nationals manager Dusty Baker does not know when Revere will be healthy enough to return to the lineup. "I just looked at the reports," Baker said. "They say he's doing better. But I haven't talked to him and I haven't talked to director of athletic...

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Game 9 lineups: Nationals at Phillies

April 15, 2016, 11:42am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals venture on the road for the second time this season, heading up Interstate 95 to face the National League East rival Phillies. It is their first matchup this season. The Nats are off to a great start at 7-1, but the Phillies are doing fairly well, riding good pitching to a 5-5 record. Manager Dusty Baker will start right-hander Joe Ross, who is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA. Tonight marks his first appearance against the Phillies. Ross notched his first win of the season with...

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Ramos can see clearly now, is off to hot start at plate

April 14, 2016, 4:16pm

Nationals

Ramos can see clearly now, is off to hot start at plate

The Nationals have had some good offense from guys like Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy and Anthony Rendon to race out to a 7-1 record to begin 2016. But catcher Wilson Ramos has really started to generate hits from the sixth spot in the lineup. This is a good early sign for the Venezuelan backstop. Prior to last year's .229 average, Ramos had hit .272 and .267 in back-to-back seasons. In Thursday's 6-2 win over the Braves, Ramos connected for his first homer of the season and later added a RBI...

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Stephen Strasburg leaves Braves feeling sick

April 14, 2016, 3:57pm

Nationals

Stephen Strasburg leaves Braves feeling sick

Stephen Strasburg was so sick Wednesday he had to postpone his scheduled start. He still was not feeling that great Thursday, but gutted it out, told his skipper he was good to go and went 7 2/3 innings as the Nationals completed a four-game sweep of the Braves with a 6-2 victory. Strasburg said that the temperature change from spring training in Florida to the cold early April days in D.C. has affected him before. "It just seems like every year we get back from Florida and you get into that...

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Harper and Strasburg help Nats complete sweep of Braves

April 14, 2016, 2:38pm

Nationals

Harper and Strasburg help Nats complete sweep of Braves

A pair of former No. 1 overall selections shone in the same game again as the Nationals beat the Braves 6-2 to complete a four-game sweep. Bryce Harper, taken with the first pick in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, continues to place his name in the baseball history books before he turns 24. Harper slammed his 100th career home run in the bottom of the third, a grand slam off of Julio Teheran, to lift the Nationals to a 4-1 lead. At 23 years and 181 days old, Harper becomes the eighth-youngest...

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Heisey comfortable leading off, ready to start for Nationals

April 14, 2016, 10:14am

Nationals

Chris Heisey makes his first start today for the Nationals, and will lead off and play left field, giving Jayson Werth the day off. Manager Dusty Baker said he focused on Heisey to lead off because of his previous experience atop the batting order and wanting to keep the lineup spaced out well from each side of the plate. "He's batted there before plus he's the best choice that I have right now," Baker explained. "The other choice would've been (Matt) den Dekker but then that gives me too...

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Papelbon 5-for-5 in saves: "My stuff has felt real good"

April 13, 2016, 7:13pm

Nationals

Papelbon 5-for-5 in saves: "My stuff has felt real good"

It's been a perfect start for closer Jonathan Papelbon, who has converted all five of his save opportunities. Papelbon earned his fifth save with three more outs in the ninth as the Nationals shut out the Braves 3-0 on Wednesday night. Catcher Wilson Ramos said he has noticed how aggressive Papelbon has been to begin this season, one big key to his ninth-inning success. "To me, he's aggressive this year," Ramos said. "More aggressive. He throw two or three balls in a row, then he come back...

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Big homers for Drew and Werth might have started something for Nationals

April 13, 2016, 6:53pm

Nationals

Offense came from Jayson Werth and Stephen Drew on Wednesday, courtesy of a pair of big home runs that broke open another scoreless tie between the Nationals and the Braves. Drew smacked a solo shot, while Werth cranked a two-run homer. The Nationals shut out the Braves 3-0. Drew said Braves right-hander Matt Wisler was tough early, but he found a way in his second at-bat to connect for his first homer with the Nationals. "Two-two, not really trying to do too much," Drew said. "I got a pitch...

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Roark subs for Strasburg and dismantles Braves 3-0

April 13, 2016, 5:20pm

Nationals

Roark subs for Strasburg and dismantles Braves 3-0

For a pitcher who only knew he was going to start just 24 hours before his first pitch, Tanner Roark did quite well for himself. Roark (1-1) did not allow the Braves a run through seven innings, scattering four hits to earn his first win of the season. He not only won the game but provided the bullpen with a huge rest as the Nationals shut out the Braves 3-0. Washington has allowed Atlanta to score only nine runs in their first five meetings. Roark finished allowing no runs, three walks, one...

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Stephen Drew thrilled to make positive impact, will start Wednesday

April 12, 2016, 8:06pm

Nationals

Stephen Drew thrilled to make positive impact, will start Wednesday

Utility infielder Stephen Drew notched the first hit in an eighth-inning rally that helped to lift the Nationals past the Braves 2-1. For a player trying to make an impact with his new team and not getting many shots at doing just that, this was a very nice first step. "That was great. That was his first hit as a National," Baker said. "I told him before the game, he's playing tomorrow. (Anthony) Rendon's getting a day off. I hope he can come through tomorrow as well as he did today....

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Treinen still strong after pitching three consecutive days

April 12, 2016, 7:15pm

Nationals

Treinen still strong after pitching three consecutive days

The Nationals dropped the Braves 2-1 behind outstanding pitching from starter Gio Gonzalez and the bullpen. Shawn Kelley, Oliver Perez, Blake Treinen and Felipe Rivero managed to hold the Braves to one run over the final three innings. Manager Dusty Baker again singled out Treinen for finding a way to keep the Braves at bay. "This is why you like that sinkerballer on your staff because they can throw that double-play ground ball," Baker said. "You can get out of trouble. Any time you can...

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Late extra-base hit by Bryce Harper downs Braves again 2-1

April 12, 2016, 5:51pm

Nationals

Late extra-base hit by Bryce Harper downs Braves again 2-1

Bryce Harper went hitless on Monday night. That is not going to happen very many times. Battling in a scoreless duel with the Braves, the Nationals slugger laced a double down the left field line in the eighth inning to score two runs as the Nationals downed Atlanta 2-1. Chants of "M-V-P! M-V-P!" erupted from a few of the 18,378 faithful on a chilly Tuesday night. Blake Treinen (2-0) pitched 1 1/3 innings for his second win. The Braves tallied a run in the ninth. Felipe Rivero recorded the...

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Baker says mental game will help Gonzalez after long layoff

April 12, 2016, 12:56pm

Nationals

Baker says mental game will help Gonzalez after long layoff

Left-hander Gio Gonzalez finally makes his first start of the season tonight for the Nationals against the Braves. It is his first start since March 27. Getting ready for a start usually takes just five days. So when you have to wait this long, manager Dusty Baker said the mental side of pitching plays a crucial role in allowing the pitcher to focus on what he needs to do. "He's had some pretty good bullpen sessions," Baker said. "I urged him to pitch with his mind. And Gio pays attention...

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Third baseman Drew Ward hitting ground running to start second year with P-Nats

April 12, 2016, 7:35am

Nationals

Third baseman Drew Ward hitting ground running to start second year with P-Nats

Third baseman Drew Ward gained valuable experience by playing in the Arizona Fall League at the end of last season. This experience has helped propel him to a strong start for the high Single-A Potomac Nationals. "It was a great experience," said Ward. "I was on the taxi guy, so I played once or twice a week, but I learned so much just getting around older guys and trying to learn how to become a professional baseball player." Ward, 21, said working with other teams was helpful, but it also...

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Treinen adopting "why wait?" mentality with first eighth-inning hold

April 11, 2016, 3:54am

Nationals

Treinen adopting "why wait?" mentality with first eighth-inning hold

The Nationals bullpen was completely remade from 2015. Of all the segments of the team, many believe the bullpen is the one link that needed the most change and the most improvement if the Nationals were to put together a team that could dethrone the Mets atop the National League East. The closer is set with Jonathan Papelbon. But who will take over the eighth-inning set-up duties? Will new manager Dusty Baker select a set-up man by committee? Felipe Rivero or Shawn Kelley or Blake Treinen or...

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Ross showing more confidence in changeup big key to opening win

April 10, 2016, 2:16pm

Nationals

Ross showing more confidence in changeup big key to opening win

The top hitter from last season opens the game with a first-pitch triple against a young pitcher making his first ever April regular season start. That same pitcher allowed 12 hits and eight runs in his final exhibition start. It was the extremely dangerous Miami leadoff hitter Dee Gordon tripling on the first pitch of the game. The Marlins scored in that inning, but never again against right-hander Joe Ross, a full seven innings of work. The Nationals kept it close before a big seventh inning...

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Nats game blog: Koehler allows most of his homers to Harper, Nationals

April 10, 2016, 6:51am

Nationals

Right-hander Joe Ross makes his 2016 Nationals debut Sunday against Marlins right-hander Tom Koehler. The pair was supposed to match up yesterday, but that game was postponed. This is that big step year for Ross. This will be the first time in his young career that he has been handed the ball from the beginning of the season with the responsibility of being a full-time starter. He certainly has the ability and makeup to shine. Ross, 22, was 5-5 in 16 games (13 starts) in 2015 with a 3.64...

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Fedde is ready to start: "I feel better than I've ever felt"

April 09, 2016, 9:47am

Nationals

Fedde is ready to start: "I feel better than I've ever felt"

Right-hander Erick Fedde will get a chance to pitch more innings and deeper into games as he moves up a level this season to high Single-A Potomac. The Nationals' top selection from the 2014 draft will make his debut today in Wilmington, Del., as the P-Nats face the Blue Rocks. "I was pretty excited to find out I was coming to high-A," Fedde said this week. "It is something I expected and hoped for, but the Nationals always know what's best. I don't have too much experience in pro ball...