Byron Kerr

Giolito and Johansen shine in weekend series for Hagerstown

April 14, 2014, 3:42am

The low Single-A Hagerstown Suns continue to roll, and are now 9-2 to start the season after a 6-1 disptach of Lakewood on Sunday, completing a four-game sweep of the BlueClaws. Center fielder Isaac Ballou and shortstop Wilmer Difo had back-to-back doubles to highlight a four-run third inning. Right-hander Jake Johansen (1-0) pitched five innings, allowing one earned run on two hits with four walks to garner the victory. He struck out six batters. Right-hander Ryan Ullman, who was just called...

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Potomac outfielder Miller ready to display power again

April 12, 2014, 8:06am

Nationals

Potomac outfielder Miller ready to display power again

Outfielder Brandon Miller displayed impressive power number last season for low Single-A Hagerstown, and hopes to continue that trend as he graduates this season to high Single-A Potomac.Coming into Saturday's game, Miller had hit home runs in two of his last three games with the P-Nats. While with the Suns, Miller slammed 18 home runs in 103 games. He also had 26 doubles and two triples to go along with 72 RBIs. "Yeah, last season was fun," Miller said. "I struggled at the very beginning....

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Barrett perfect addition as Nationals prepare to take on Braves' stingy bullpen

April 11, 2014, 9:41am

Nationals

Nationals right-handed reliever Aaron Barrett is right in the middle of quite a run. Let's begin with spring training. Barrett played in 10 games and finished 10 2/3 innings without allowing a run. He gave up only five hits, struck out eight and walked none. Opposing hitters batted .147 against him. Now nine games into the 2014 regular season, teams are befuddled by Barrett and his stuff. He started it all with three amazing outs on opening day at New York. In the bottom of the ninth, he...

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Strasburg delivers on pregame plan he told Desmond

April 10, 2014, 3:56pm

Nationals

Strasburg delivers on pregame plan he told Desmond

Shortstop Ian Desmond was able to put the game away with a grand slam in the eighth inning Thursday as the Nationals beat the Marlins 7-1 to sweep the three-game set. "I had been scuffling all day," Desmond said. "I knew that going in, they had been putting some quality at bats off of us late in the games. They made it interesting yesterday, back and forth. "Just really wanted to get one there. Kind of been a little bit sped up. Constantly trying to make adjustments the last few days and...

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Strasburg off to good start, Werth homers (Desmond hits grand slam in 7-1 win)

April 10, 2014, 12:52pm

Nationals

Strasburg off to good start, Werth homers (Desmond hits grand slam in 7-1 win)

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg allowed a single to begin the game by Marlins left fielder Christian Yelich, who promptly stole second and went to third on an error by Nate McLouth. Yelich tried to come home when Derek Dietrich hit a comebacker that Strasburg fielded. He threw home and got Yelich in a rundown to record the first out of the inning. The Marlins did not go on to score. That was the only hit the Marlins were able to register in the first three innings. Strasburg retired eight...

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Roark available if needed today, other bullpen news, Fister update

April 10, 2014, 10:47am

Nationals

Roark available if needed today, other bullpen news, Fister update

Manager Matt Williams said Thursday that right-hander Tanner Roark is available out of the bullpen if Stephen Strasburg can't make it through six innings against the Marlins today in the series finale. "Well, if we have to, we have the ability to go to Tanner (Roark), if we have to," Williams said. "We hope that that is not the case. If we do, he would be available potentially for us long, if it gets to that. The best-laid plans are if that doesn't happen. "I think (Rafael) Soriano is...

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Stammen a great example of Nationals' "versatile" bullpen

April 10, 2014, 7:57am

Nationals

Facing a 5-0 deficit in the fourth inning might have many teams thinking about how they can get ready for the final game of the series and just try to win two out of three. Last season, down 5-0 that late in the game might have been too much to overcome for the Nationals. But eight games into the season, the Nationals now have five comeback wins. They have outscored opponents 23-6 from the seventh inning on. They have been able to get clutch hitting in the late going to turn likely defeats into...

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Intentional walk to get to Jayson Werth backfires on Marlins

April 09, 2014, 8:04pm

Nationals

Intentional walk to get to Jayson Werth backfires on Marlins

It is a strategic move. But you don't see a team walk a batter to get to a clutch hitter like Jayson Werth too many times. It set up a possible double play. Instead it turned into a game-changing grand slam. Nationals reliever Craig Stammen, who kept the Marlins off the board for three and 1/3 innings, said it doesn't take too much to get Werth going, usually something way less egregious than an intentional walk. "Well, knowing Jayson, if a pitcher looks at him wrong, he'll take that...

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Marlins strike first against Zimmermann (Werth slam lifts Nats to 10-7 win)

April 09, 2014, 3:19pm

Nationals

Marlins strike first against Zimmermann (Werth slam lifts Nats to 10-7 win)

The Marlins were quick out of the gates against Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann. The first three batters reached base. Christian Yelich led off the game with a single and stole second base. After a Derek Dietrich walk, Giancarlo Stanton connected on an RBI single and the Marlins led 1-0. Garrett Jones' sacrifice fly brought Dietrich home and extended the Marlins' lead to 2-0. Left-hander Brad Hand is starting for the Marlins, which is why Nationals manager Matt Williams said he put...

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Injury updates on Solis, Pleffner, Estevez and Ward

April 09, 2014, 2:04pm

Nationals

Injury updates on Solis, Pleffner, Estevez and Ward

Double-A Harrisburg left-hander Sammy Solis is dealing with a back injury. "He is doing well," assistant general manager and vice president player development Doug Harris said. "He is feeling well and he is beginning to progress. We will put together a return to the mound progression. Hopefully we can go forward with that." They hope to have a better picture of when Solis will return to a throwing regimen in the next week or so. But nothing is set because it is a day-to-day situation. High...

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Zimmerman going back to three-quarter angle throwing motion to protect shoulder

April 09, 2014, 1:19pm

Nationals

Zimmerman going back to three-quarter angle throwing motion to protect shoulder

After a couple of days of rest, third baseman Ryan Zimmerman returned to the starting lineup and will debut for the first time this season a new three-quarter throwing motion. "It feels good," Zimmerman said. "I think that is one of the reasons why we decided to go ahead and try it. It is not as stressful as the arm angle that is higher. So, we figured we would give that a try. "It is good. It is a different throw. It is a work in progress. But there is no pain. Just got to keep working. Do...

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LaRoche, Rendon find several ways to beat the Marlins

April 08, 2014, 7:25pm

Nationals

LaRoche, Rendon find several ways to beat the Marlins

A veteran not known for his speed getting that extra base. A young player returning to his collegiate position making a big defensive play. Both combine for big hits. All are a part of the Nationals' 5-0 victory over the Marlins on Tuesday night. First baseman Adam LaRoche was able to slide safely into second base in the sixth inning, thanks to Marlins second baseman Jeff Baker's inability to hold onto to the throw from catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. The error by Baker was big in the inning,...

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LaRoche gives Nats early advantage against Fish (Nats win 5-0)

April 08, 2014, 3:26pm

Nationals

LaRoche gives Nats early advantage against Fish (Nats win 5-0)

The Nationals plated a run in the bottom of the first. Jayson Werth hit a two-out double against Marlins starter Henderson Alvarez. Adam LaRoche brought Werth in with a run-scoring single, but was tagged out in a rundown between first and second to end the inning. It's 1-0 after one inning. Lefty Gio Gonzalez is starting for the Nationals. He's dominated the Fish on South Capitol Street, going 3-0 with an 0.95 ERA in three home starts against Miami last year. Update: Gonzalez was able to...

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Ramos on latest injury: "Hopefully, that was the last one"

April 08, 2014, 3:17pm

Nationals

Ramos on latest injury: "Hopefully, that was the last one"

Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos spoke Tuesday for the first time about undergoing surgery to remove the fractured hamate bone in his left hand. He recounted when he first felt soreness during the last week of spring training and then when he felt the severe pain during an at-bat against the Mets on opening day. "It was the last week of spring. I was feeling something in my wrist, but never think about the hamate bone," Ramos said. "I was feeling just a little bit sore. Every morning, I was...

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Nationals have highest recent success rate employing Arizona Fall League participants

April 07, 2014, 11:16am

Nationals

The Nationals' opening day roster is chock full of Arizona Fall League participants. According to an Arizona Fall League news release, 53 percent of MLB opening day rosters (including disabled lists) played in the AFL. That is, 452 of the 854 players listed on the the 30 Major League Baseball opening day rosters played in the AFL. The Nationals and Padres have the most, with 20 former AFL players on each of their rosters. The Orioles have 19 players on their team who spent time in the...

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No panic in Nats right before the untuck

April 07, 2014, 6:35am

Nationals

No panic in Nats right before the untuck

It takes some work to get to the untuck. Nationals closer Rafael Soriano made it interesting in the ninth inning, especially in a one-run game on Sunday against the Braves. He struck out Dan Uggla to begin the frame. And then a pop-up to first by Gerard Laird had him looking good with two outs and no one on. But back-to-back singles by Andrelton Simmons and Ryan Doumit changed things. Suddenly the tying run was in scoring position and the go-ahead run was on first base with the dangerous Jason...

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Desmond and Jordan talk after 2-1 dispatch of rival Braves

April 06, 2014, 1:34pm

Nationals

Desmond and Jordan talk after 2-1 dispatch of rival Braves

Right-hander Taylor Jordan showed poise and resiliency on the mound Sunday as the Nationals got their first win of the season against the Braves, 2-1. Shortstop Ian Desmond said Jordan and catcher Sandy Leon did a nice job against a veteran and big hitting Braves lineup. "I thought Taylor and Sandy (Leon) didn't an unbelievable job," Desmond said. "That is a young battery right there going up against a very good team. They were both really composed in some tough situations. Really tough....

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Nationals again score first against the Braves (Nats win 2-1)

April 06, 2014, 10:09am

Nationals

The Nationals and Braves wrap up their first matchup of the season on Sunday with right-hander Taylor Jordan facing left-hander Alex Wood. The Braves have won 15 of the last 21 games against the Nationals and are 9-2 in that span at Nationals Park. The Nationals scored first and took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a base hit by Jayson Werth. Third baseman Anthony Rendon scored thanks to a throwing error by Braves second baseman Dan Uggla. Manager Matt Williams used a challenge later in the...

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Harper on struggles: "I am pretty lost right now"

April 05, 2014, 8:01pm

Nationals

Harper on struggles: "I am pretty lost right now"

Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper's frustrations early this season at the plate reached a boiling point after striking out to lead off the eighth inning of a 6-2 Braves win Saturday night. One video replay appeared to show him throwing his batting helmet as he walked down the steps into the dugout and then toward the clubhouse after the strikeout. On Saturday, he went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts, dropping his average to .143. "I feel terrible, plain and simple," Harper said, still...

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Braves chase Strasburg after early LaRoche homer (Nats lose 6-2)

April 05, 2014, 3:34pm

Nationals

Braves chase Strasburg after early LaRoche homer (Nats lose 6-2)

As the Nationals and Braves tangle in the second game of their initial three-game set of 2014 on Saturday night in Washington, D.C., right-hander Stephen Strasburg is facing Braves right-hander Julio Teheran. The Nationals opened the scoring with a two-run homer by Adam LaRoche in the first inning. The mammoth shot by LaRoche came on a 2-2 pitch off of Teheran and reached the upper deck down the right field line, landing in what appeared to be the first row above the Jackie Robinson No. 42 sign...