Dan Kolko

Time to begin letting starters go deeper?

April 12, 2013, 11:08pm

Here's a strange note: Last night's blown 4-0 lead and eventual 6-4 loss to the Braves came six months to the day after the Nationals blew a 6-0 lead and lost 9-7 to the Cardinals in Game 5 of the National League Division Series. Ironically enough, Drew Storen's first save opportunity since that crushing postseason loss came last night. This one also ended in a blown save and a Nats loss, although Storen wasn't on the mound when it ended this time. I thought Ryan Zimmerman's point last...

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Hearing from Clippard, Storen and Zimmerman after 10-inning loss

April 12, 2013, 8:09pm

Nationals

Hearing from Clippard, Storen and Zimmerman after 10-inning loss

Nationals starting pitchers have gotten off to a strong start to 2013, putting up a 3.09 ERA collectively with six quality starts in 10 games. Nationals relievers, however, have had some issues through the season's first 10 contests. The guys in the Nats' bullpen have posted a 6.34 ERA over 32 2/3 innings. Tonight, three Nationals relievers combined to surrender five runs over three frames, turning a 4-1 lead into a 6-4 loss in 10 innings. This isn't what most people expected, given the...

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Johnson on bullpen issues, Zimmerman's throw after 6-4 loss to Braves

April 12, 2013, 7:46pm

Nationals

Johnson on bullpen issues, Zimmerman's throw after 6-4 loss to Braves

Thanks to Ross Detwiler's seven strong innings and a few big swings of the bat from Bryce Harper, Denard Span and Jayson Werth, the Nationals held a 4-1 lead over the Braves after seven innings. Then, things fell apart. Tyler Clippard failed to get through the eighth, allowing a run on a hit and three walks. Drew Storen got out of a jam he inherited from Clippard in the eighth, but then allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits with a walk in the ninth. And in the 10th, Craig Stammen...

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It all falls apart for Nats (Nats lose in 10 innings)

April 12, 2013, 6:33pm

Nationals

It all falls apart for Nats (Nats lose in 10 innings)

Well this didn't go as planned. After Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen each struggled in relief and contributed to the Nationals blowing a 4-1 lead, Craig Stammen surrendered a two-run homer to Ramiro Pena in the top of the 10th, giving the Braves a 6-4 lead. In 327 career at-bats, this was just Pena's third home run. And boy, was it a big one. The ball landed towards the back of the Nationals' bullpen, and a handful of Braves fans sprinkled throughout the stands exploded in cheers. The...

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Another dandy delivered by Detwiler (we go to extras)

April 12, 2013, 5:12pm

Nationals

Another dandy delivered by Detwiler (we go to extras)

Yeah, I love alliteration. What of it? Ross Detwiler is completely locked in tonight against the Braves, having thrown six scoreless innings on just 79 pitches. Detwiler has allowed just three hits, walked two and struck out three. He's held the potent top five hitters in the Braves' order to a 2-for-14 line with two Ks. Only once has Atlanta put a runner in scoring position tonight; that came when Justin Upton doubled off the very top of the wall in right-center with two outs in the...

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Harper stays red-hot at Nats Park (the lead increases)

April 12, 2013, 3:38pm

Nationals

Harper stays red-hot at Nats Park (the lead increases)

OK, Bryce Harper is red-hot anywhere he hits. But at Nationals Park, Harper is really crushing the ball. Harper smoked an opposite-field, two-run shot in the first inning off Braves starter Julio Teheran, giving the Nats an early 2-0 lead over their division rivals. The homer came on a 2-1 fastball, and it left the yard in a hurry. It's Harper's fifth homer of the season. The Nats have played just 10 games. Decent homer-to-game ratio, I guess. Teheran's pitch wasn't a bad one; he...

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Soriano might get tonight off

April 12, 2013, 2:23pm

Nationals

The Nationals have played nine games thus far this season. Rafael Soriano has pitched in six of them. That includes each of the last three nights. Soriano worked the ninth inning in each game of the Nats' recent series against the White Sox, notching three straight saves. The heavy recent workload might prevent Soriano from handling the closer's duties tonight if the Nats have a ninth-inning lead. Manager Davey Johnson indicated after yesterday's game that he might go to Drew Storen...

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Pitching probables for Nats-Braves weekend series (plus tonight's lineup)

April 12, 2013, 11:39am

Nationals

Pitching probables for Nats-Braves weekend series (plus tonight's lineup)

The Nationals and Braves will square off tonight for the first of 19 times this season, with Ross Detwiler and Braves right-hander Julio Teheran taking the mound this evening at Nats Park. The 22-year-old Teheran has made just five career big league starts and has a 5.81 ERA in his brief major league career. Detwiler is coming off six strong innings in his 2013 debut. He allowed just an unearned run in a no-decision against the Reds last Saturday. Tomorrow, we'll get the Nats and Braves...

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Some of this, some of that (including a great Haren video)

April 12, 2013, 6:09am

Nationals

Some of this, some of that (including a great Haren video)

While it's still incredibly early in the 2013 season, the battle for National League playoff spots just got a bit more interesting. Right-hander Zack Greinke, the Dodgers' $147 million man, fractured his left collarbone during a brawl last night, and might miss somewhere around the next two months. The injury happened after Greinke plunked Padres left fielder Carlos Quentin and Quentin charged the mound. Greinke defended himself from Quentin by ramming his left shoulder into the 240-lb....

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Ventura, Zimmerman and Harper on the questionable intentional walk

April 11, 2013, 8:02pm

Nationals

Ventura, Zimmerman and Harper on the questionable intentional walk

The big topic of discussion in the press box during tonight's 7-4 Nationals win was White Sox manager Robin Ventura's decision to intentionally walk Bryce Harper with two outs and Ryan Zimmerman on deck in the fifth inning. Harper, while he's on fire and possesses a world of talent, has played just 148 games in his big league career. Zimmerman has a proven track record, having performed at a high level over nine major league seasons. We're just nine games into the season. You don't often...

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Johnson talks after Nats pick up sweep of White Sox

April 11, 2013, 7:36pm

Nationals

Johnson talks after Nats pick up sweep of White Sox

The Nationals have played two series at home this season. They've swept them both. Tonight's 7-4 win over the White Sox gave the Nats another three-game sweep at Nats Park and made a winner of Dan Haren for the first time this season. While Haren allowed 10 hits, hit a batter and threw 101 pitches over five innings, he allowed just three runs and kept his team in the game. "You know, he's still not where he wants to be, I'm sure," manager Davey Johnson said of his starter. "They've...

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Zimmerman makes Ventura's gamble look silly (Nats sweep White Sox)

April 11, 2013, 5:20pm

Nationals

Zimmerman makes Ventura's gamble look silly (Nats sweep White Sox)

Coming into tonight, the hitter in front of Ryan Zimmerman in the Nationals' batting order had only been intentionally walked once since 2009. That one time, on Sept. 3, 2011, Zimmerman responded with a walk-off homer over the Mets. Zimmerman, after all, has been the Nats' most fearsome hitter for some time now. There's very rarely a reason to put a runner on base in front of him, regardless of most circumstances. Apparently, that's changing. The White Sox decided to intentionally walk...

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A lot of pitches, a lot of runners stranded (updated)

April 11, 2013, 4:31pm

Nationals

A lot of pitches, a lot of runners stranded (updated)

Through three innings, the White Sox have put six men on base off Nationals starter Dan Haren. The Nats, in turn, have put seven on against Chicago starter Dylan Axelrod, who has already thrown 74 pitches. Still, it's just a 3-1 ballgame, with the Nats holding the lead as we go to the fourth. The two teams have combined to strand nine runners and have gone 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Haren has given up three doubles already tonight, one in each inning, but he's managed to...

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John Wall returning to Nats Park, hoping for better first-pitch results (updated)

April 11, 2013, 1:55pm

Nationals

John Wall returning to Nats Park, hoping for better first-pitch results (updated)

The last time Wizards guard John Wall threw out a ceremonial first pitch at Nationals Park, back in 2011, things, uh, didn't go so well. Wall wound up and spiked the ball so short of home plate that it didn't even reach the dirt, forcing Drew Storen, who was behind the dish awaiting Wall's toss, to lunge to his right to snag the ball before it got by him. If you haven't seen the video,

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Nats, White Sox lineups for series finale

April 11, 2013, 11:42am

Nationals

Nats, White Sox lineups for series finale

There's plenty of action on the field at Nationals Park right now. Out in left field, White Sox pitchers are stretching. Down the first base line, Kurt Suzuki is in full catching gear, throwing a football with a team trainer. First base coach Tony Tarasco is standing in the left-handed hitter's batter's box, hitting flips from a batting practice pitcher out to Roger Bernadina and Tyler Moore, who are standing in center field getting work on their jumps off the bat. Just another day in a...

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McCatty provides a fresh perspective on Haren

April 10, 2013, 11:21pm

Nationals

McCatty provides a fresh perspective on Haren

When the Nationals take the field around 7:05 p.m. tonight aiming for a sweep of the White Sox, they'll give the ball to Dan Haren, their 32-year-old right-hander, who will be making his Nationals Park debut. Haren got smacked around pretty good in his first start as a National last Friday against the Reds, allowing six runs on nine hits over just four innings. The veteran righty served up a whopping four home runs, although two of them just cleared the Great American Ballpark fence and...

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Hearing from Desmond and Harper

April 10, 2013, 7:28pm

Nationals

The umpires might have hit a traffic jam on their way to the stadium this afternoon, causing a 16-minute delay, but there are plenty of guys in the Nationals clubhouse who can relate. Ian Desmond is one of them. "I've got no problem with it. I've been stuck in traffic many a time here in D.C.," Desmond said. "I'm surprised they got here as fast as they did. It's always an adventure." White Sox starter Gavin Floyd had a bit of an adventure in the middle innings tonight. After putting...

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Johnson discusses Nats' 5-2 win

April 10, 2013, 7:04pm

Nationals

Some starting pitchers map out their pregame routine so carefully that an unexpected 16-minute delay would totally throw them out of whack. Jordan Zimmermann is not one of those pitchers. Zimmermann needed to wait a bit longer than normal to throw his first pitch tonight because the umpires got stuck in traffic and were late to the stadium. There apparently was an immigration rally at the Capital today, which caused a massive backup, and the unsuspecting umps got caught up in it. The game...

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Zimmermann, Desmond lead Nats to 5-2 win

April 10, 2013, 5:57pm

Nationals

Zimmermann, Desmond lead Nats to 5-2 win

Backed by a strong seven innings of work by Jordan Zimmermann and three extra-base hits from Ian Desmond, the Nationals beat the White Sox 5-2 in front of 24,586 at Nats Park. The Nats' second win over Chicago in as many nights gives them the series win, and Dan Haren will take the mound tomorrow night as Washington will shoot for the sweep. Zimmermann allowed two runs and seven hits over seven tidy frames. He needed just 90 pitches to get his way through seven and surely could've gone...

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Harper visits the second deck (that's all for Zimmermann)

April 10, 2013, 4:28pm

Nationals

Harper visits the second deck (that's all for Zimmermann)

Tonight's game was delayed 16 minutes - not because of rain, but because the umpires were stuck in traffic. C'mon, fellas. Plan ahead here. In Adam Dunn's return to Nationals Park, Bryce Harper crushed a home run to the seats that Dunn used to visit on a consistent basis. Leading off the bottom of the fourth, Harper took the first pitch he saw from White Sox starter Gavin Floyd - an 86 mph cutter - and smoked it into the second deck in right field. The solo shot was Harper's fourth home...