Byron Kerr

Despite hard-luck loss, Giolito hits 99 mph and commands fastball

June 16, 2014, 2:41am

The Single-A Hagerstown Suns came back to defeat Greenville 8-5 to finish the first half of the season with 44 wins. But because Greensboro won earlier in the day, the Suns did not win the first half of their Northern division in the South Atlantic League. Despite a big lead out of the gates, the Suns lost seven of their final 10 games of the first half to come up a little bit short. But Hagerstown demonstrated how they can win games with a comeback in the sixth inning. Trailing 3-1, Isaac...

Tags:

Wrapping up long road trip, Braves looming next week

June 14, 2014, 7:36am

Nationals

Wrapping up long road trip, Braves looming next week

Two losses in a row for the Nationals? Not concerned. This road trip has still been a rousing success. Travel from San Francisco to St. Louis and then back to the diamond did not result in a win thanks to the outstanding pitching of Lance Lynn. The Cardinals right-hander has given up an important postseason home run to the Nats in a relief role, but has done a great job against them as a starter. OK, I got that call a couple of weeks ago on Nats Insider (every Sunday 90 minutes prior to...

Tags:

byron kerr nationals frontstory_nationals2

Jose Lobaton breaks up Lance Lynn no-hit bid (St. Louis wins 1-0)

June 13, 2014, 4:42pm

Nationals

Jose Lobaton breaks up Lance Lynn no-hit bid (St. Louis wins 1-0)

Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams had been on the disabled list since May 28 with a strained left calf. In his first six career games against the Nationals when healthy, he had at least one hit in each contest and batted .391. Facing one of the Nationals' hottest hurlers, Adams announced his return with authority in his first at-bat. Adams crushed the first pitch he saw from Jordan Zimmermann in the second inning, sending it over the right-center field wall and the Cardinals led 1-0. The...

Tags:

byron kerr jordan zimmermann nationals frontstory_nationals3

Nationals option Treinen to Triple-A Syracuse, paving way for Gonzalez to return

June 13, 2014, 1:36pm

Nationals

The Nationals paved the way for the return of left-hander Gio Gonzalez by optioning right-handed starter Blake Treinen to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday. Treinen went 0-2 with a 2.89 ERA in three starts in his most recent stint. Overall, he is 0-3 with a 2.80 ERA in eight major league games, including four starts over 30 1/3 innings. In Thursday's 7-1 loss to the Giants, Treinen lasted five innings, allowed five hits, two runs, three walks and struck out two. He struggled a bit with his...

Tags:

byron kerr gio gonzalez nationals blake treinen xavier cedeno frontstory_nationals3

Gonzalez and Kobernus contribute to P-Nats' clinching victory

June 13, 2014, 5:24am

Nationals

Gonzalez and Kobernus contribute to P-Nats' clinching victory

Left-hander Gio Gonzalez made another firm step forward toward returning to the Nationals rotation with his second rehab start at high Single-A Potomac on Thursday night before 4,176 at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Va. Gonzalez twirled 79 pitches over four innings, striking out seven, allowing one run on two hits with four walks in a 3-2 victory over Winston-Salem. He induced four groundouts and faced 18 batters. Gonzalez has been on the disabled list with left shoulder inflammation since...

Tags:

bio gonzalez byron kerr nationals nationals farm report featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Nationals lineup provides little relief for opposing pitchers

June 12, 2014, 10:58am

Nationals

I remember focusing on it last Saturday night as the Nationals battled the Padres. Down 2-0 in the top of the seventh, the Nationals got a rally going against San Diego reliever Nick Vincent. With one out, Adam LaRoche and Ryan Zimmerman smacked back-to-back doubles. Zimmerman's hit made it Padres 2-1. Wilson Ramos was next and forced Vincent to throw five pitches. Vincent threw Ramos two sliders and three four-seam fastballs. Ian Desmond was watching from the on-deck circle. Vincent threw...

Tags:

byron kerr nationals ryan zimmerman frontstory_nationals2

Nationals take advantage of Cain's control problems early (Nats win 6-2)

June 11, 2014, 6:32pm

Nationals

The Nationals stepped into AT&T Park Wednesday night winners of nine of their last 11 and looking to hand the Giants their first three-game losing streak at home this season. Matt Cain was a more than gracious host in the first inning, struggling with his command and walking the first three batters he faced. Adam LaRoche made him pay with a single just to the right of second base, plating Denard Span and Anthony Rendon, and the Nationals led 2-0. A Ryan Zimmerman groundout brought home...

Tags:

adam laroche byron kerr nationals frontstory_nationals1

Giolito to start again June 14, Kobernus reports to P-Nats

June 11, 2014, 11:47am

Nationals

Giolito to start again June 14, Kobernus reports to P-Nats

The low Single-A Hagerstown Suns list right-hander Lucas Giolito as their starter for the June 14 home game against Greenville at Municipal Stadium. Giolito is 2-0 with a 2.06 ERA. He went four innings in his last start, so I would expect the target to be five innings for this start. * Double-A Harrisburg right-hander A.J. Cole will start Thursday night for the Senators at Erie. Cole is 5-2 with a 2.30 ERA. Harrisburg is in the middle of its longest winning streak of the season following...

Tags:

byron kerr nationals nationals farm report aj cole frontstory_nationals3 gio gonzalez jeff kobernus lucas giolito

Fister and Bumgarner dueling by the Bay (Nationals win 2-1)

June 10, 2014, 7:03pm

Nationals

One would probably expect a matchup between Doug Fister and Madison Bumgarner, with the way they are pitching the last few starts, to be a good old fashioned pitchers' duel. So far, that is exactly the case. The Nationals got their first base hit from third baseman Anthony Rendon, a single in the first. It is Rendon's first appearance in three games since hurting his hand against the Padres on Friday night. Wilson Ramos had a double in the second inning. That was the ninth extra-base hit of...

Tags:

byron kerr nationals doug fister frontstory_nationals2

Roark another example of Nationals system helping pitcher get better

June 10, 2014, 7:31am

Nationals

Right-hander Tanner Roark has been a key to the Nationals rotation coming together as a consistent, cohesive unit. It is hard to believe Roark lost 17 games in 2012. He slowly but surely made progress and then in 2013, after going 9-3 with a 3.15 ERA for Triple-A Syracuse, got his chance with the Nationals. While with the Nationals, he went 7-1 with a 1.51 ERA in 14 games, five of those starts. This season he has already made 12 starts, going 4-4 with a 2.91 ERA. He has 101 strikeouts and...

Tags:

byron kerr nationals tanner roark lucas giolito taylor hill frontstory_nationals2 nationals farm report

Giolito expected to start Monday night, plus other notes

June 09, 2014, 4:12am

Nationals

Giolito expected to start Monday night, plus other notes

High Single-A Potomac right-hander John Simms won his first game as a professional Saturday. He went seven innings, struck out a career-high 14 batters and allowed one run and two hits in a 6-1 win over Wilmington. Winning your first game as a professional is a big deal for any player, but is an especially big deal for Simms, the former Rice Owl who had pitched in 25 games and made 10 starts before finally breaking through. Director of player development Mark Scialabba told me Simms did a...

Tags:

byron kerr nationals Jordan Zimmermann lucas giolito nationals farm report frontstory_nationals2

Nationals waste Werth's first-inning double (Padres win 4-3 in 11)

June 07, 2014, 6:30pm

Nationals

The Nationals let a good opportunity get away from them in the top of the first of tonight's game against the Padres at Petco Park. Two hard-hit balls with one out and the Nationals were in business. Kevin Frandsen singled to right and Jayson Werth, looking fresh after a getting Friday's game off, raked a double to deep right field. Frandsen went to third. But with Adam LaRoche at the plate, Frandsen got caught too far off third base and was thrown out by catcher Rene Rivera for the second...

Tags:

blake treinen byron kerr nationals padres jayson werth ian desmond

Despite rough outing, Gonzalez felt rehab start was progress

June 07, 2014, 9:45am

Nationals

Despite rough outing, Gonzalez felt rehab start was progress

Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez had his first rehab start for high Single-A Potomac on Friday night. Gonzalez allowed eight earned runs in 3 2/3 innings, but Potomac rallied with five runs in the ninth to stun Wilmington 11-10. Despite getting roughed up, Gonzalez said his arm and shoulder feel good after the start. "Good, really good," Gonzalez told reporters. "It was more fatigue. just (my) body trying to get back to where I want it to be. Arm felt great. Just need to get back to...

Tags:

byron kerr gio gonzalez nationals frontstory_nationals2 nationals farm report potomac nationals

Fedde "expects to be competitive on the mound at all times"

June 06, 2014, 12:19pm

Nationals

Fedde "expects to be competitive on the mound at all times"

UNLV right-handed pitcher Erick Fedde said Friday that he is thrilled about the opportunity he has in front of him with the Nationals and that he's pleased to be selected in the first round, despite undergoing ligament replacement surgery Tuesday. "After Tommy John, I just was hoping going into the draft that I get selected hopefully in the first round still," Fedde said on a teleconference. "That was my expectation and hope, and I was lucky enough for that to happen." When he initially...

Tags:

byron kerr erick fedde nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Fedde's college coach: "The guy sold out for me"

June 05, 2014, 8:50pm

Nationals

Fedde's college coach: "The guy sold out for me"

UNLV baseball coach Tim Chambers managed the Nationals' 2014 first round selection right-hander Erick Fedde for three seasons. He had nothing but the highest of praise for the No. 18 selection in Thursday's First-Year Player Draft. "The Nats couldn't have gotten a better kid and a better worker," Chambers said. "I've never had one like him. I want you to know that. He was with me for three years. I never told him to run, never told to throw his pen, never told him to do his bands, I...

Tags:

byron kerr erick fedde nationals tim chambers unlv featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

Rizzo on first-round selection Erick Fedde: "He is a plus-stuff guy"

June 05, 2014, 7:05pm

Nationals

Rizzo on first-round selection Erick Fedde: "He is a plus-stuff guy"

Nationals President of Baseball Operations Mike Rizzo talked about what the team's first-round pick Erick Fedde brings to the table. "He is a plus-stuff guy," Rizzo said. "We scouted him intensely over the last three years. He has got two plus-plus pitches and his third pitch, changeup, is on the come. We think that is going to be an above average pitch. Big physical guy. We had him towards the top of our draft board. We felt the risk of him rehabbing and coming back to pre injury form was...

Tags:

byron kerr erick fedde kris kline mike rizzo nationals frontstory_nationals1

Nats select UNLV's Erick Fedde in first round of First-Year Player Draft (updated)

June 05, 2014, 4:57pm

Nationals

Nats select UNLV's Erick Fedde in first round of First-Year Player Draft (updated)

The Nationals selected UNLV right-hander pitcher Erick Fedde with the No. 18 selection in the First-Year Player Draft. Fehde underwent Tommy John surgery Tuesday, according to media reports. The 6-foot-4, 180-lb., right-hander was highly regarded by his college coach. "Great competitor with tremendous work ethic," UNLV coach Tim Chambers said of Fedde. "He is the hardest worker I have ever coached in 27 years." Update: Fedde went 8-2 with a 1.76 ERA in 11 starts for the Rebels as a...

Tags:

byron kerr nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Fister's flexibility aids in fourth straight win, LaRoche cranks two-run shot

June 05, 2014, 3:48pm

Nationals

Fister's flexibility aids in fourth straight win, LaRoche cranks two-run shot

Nationals right-hander Doug Fister won his fourth consecutive start Thursday in a 4-2 victory over the Phillies. It is the first time a Nationals pitcher has won four straight decisions since Jordan Zimmermann accomplished the feat in September 2013. Fister allowed only four hits for a second straight start. Fister has issued only two walks in six starts this season. But the media really wanted to ask him about how he was able to do a full splits on one ground ball at first base early in the...

Tags:

adam laroche byron kerr doug fister nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

Utley gives Phillies first lead of series (LaRoche homers, Nats win 4-2)

June 05, 2014, 12:27pm

Nationals

Utley gives Phillies first lead of series (LaRoche homers, Nats win 4-2)

The Phillies have lost five in a row and needed to at least start off their final game of the series with the Nationals well. Veteran Chase Utley answered the bell. In the top of the first, following a leadoff double by Ben Revere and a sacrifice that moved him to third, Utley delivered a run-scoring single past starter Doug Fister into center field to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead, their first of the series. Fister got out of the inning without any further damage. He is seeking his fourth...

Tags:

byron kerr nationals phillies frontstory_nationals1

Harper in positive mood as rehab continues, won't rush return

June 05, 2014, 11:45am

Nationals

Harper in positive mood as rehab continues, won't rush return

Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper met with the media prior to Thursday's series finale against the Phillies and appeared upbeat and in a positive mood as he recovers from left thumb surgery. Harper has been on the disabled list since April 26. "It's in a good spot right now," Harper said of his thumb. "I think every day it's getting a little bit better. Just feeling better every day." As to when the former Rookie of the Year will get back to playing baseball, Harper would not confirm...