Dan Kolko

Another quality start, another deficit

June 17, 2012, 11:51am

In this series, the Nationals have thrice gotten six strong innings from their starter. Gio Gonzalez allowed three runs over six-plus frames on Friday, Jordan Zimmermann also allowed three runs in six innings yesterday, and today, Edwin Jackson gave up just two runs in six. All three times, the starter has left the game in line for the loss. Today, Jackson gives way to Tom Gorzelanny in the seventh with the Nats trailing 2-1. Washington has managed six hits off Yankees starter Ivan Nova,...

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Lidge designated for assignment, Mattheus activated

June 17, 2012, 8:31am

Nationals

Lidge designated for assignment, Mattheus activated

Coming off a lengthy game yesterday and with Brad Lidge's ERA at 9.64, the Nationals have decided to make a move. The 35-year-old Lidge has been designated for assignment, while reliever Ryan Mattheus has been reinstated from the 15-day DL. "The 14-inning game last night forced us to make a bullpen roster move," general manager Mike Rizzo said. "Brad wasn't performing very well. He was very disappointed, and Mattheus is ready to come off the rehab assignment. We thought this was the...

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Roster move coming (with Nats lineup)

June 17, 2012, 8:04am

Nationals

The Nationals will be making a roster move before today's series finale against the Yankees. Reliever Ryan Mattheus is listed on the lineup card among the available relievers for today's game. Mattheus will need to be activated off the disabled list, which he's been on due to plantar fasciitis since late May. Brad Lidge, who has allowed five runs over the last two days, is not listed among the available relievers for today. He was seen meeting with general manager Mike Rizzo this...

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A quick turnaround

June 17, 2012, 6:43am

Nationals

I'd like to start by wishing a Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, especially my dad, who currently gets his baseball fix by working as an usher at Nats Park. When it was clear my career as a baseball player wasn't going to take off, (strangely enough, there isn't much of a need for scrawny infielders with an average glove and no power), he made sure to tell me not to give up on my dream of working in sports. Thanks, Pops. It's not easy playing a 1:30 p.m. game the day after a...

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Another rough outing for Lidge

June 16, 2012, 3:46pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper declined to talk to reporters after his 0-for-7, five-strikeout performance. It was a rough day for the rookie, almost certainly the roughest of his brief major league career. It was also a rough day for reliever Brad Lidge, who has been stuck with two really poor stat lines so far in this series. Last night, Lidge allowed three runs over one-third of an inning after giving up one hit and two walks (one of which was intentional). He was on the mound when the game got away from...

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Nats discuss apparent blown call in eighth inning

June 16, 2012, 3:12pm

Nationals

Nats discuss apparent blown call in eighth inning

In the eighth inning of today's 14-inning marathon, the Nationals nearly took the lead. In fact, it sure looked like they did take the lead. Two batters after Ian Desmond's two-out home run tied the game in the eighth, Tyler Moore came burning around third base, heading for home on Adam LaRoche's pinch-hit single to right. Just as Yankees catcher Russell Martin received a throw from right fielder Dewayne Wise, Moore dove (or should I say bellyflopped) head-first towards the plate. Moore...

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Desmond wipes the slate clean in the eighth (Nats fall in 14 innings)

June 16, 2012, 11:53am

Nationals

Desmond wipes the slate clean in the eighth (Nats fall in 14 innings)

Andy Pettitte leaves, and things start turning for the Nationals. Old Man Pettitte went seven strong innings, allowing just two runs and striking out six, and he left with a 3-2 lead. Three batters after Pettitte exited, the game was tied. Ian Desmond's 10th home run of the season has knotted this contest at 3-3. He took a 2-2 pitch from Cory Wade and demolished it, sending it at least 10 rows deep into the left field seats. The 10 homers ties a career high for Desmond. He now has a mere...

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Flores flexes his muscles (Zimmermann on the hook for the loss)

June 16, 2012, 10:20am

Nationals

Flores flexes his muscles (Zimmermann on the hook for the loss)

The actor who played Steve Urkel on "Family Matters" - Jaleel White - threw out the first pitch before today's ballgame. He fired a strike in on the outer half. Must've actually been Stefan Urquelle sneaking onto the mound without anyone noticing. The Nats lead 2-1 midway through the fourth inning thanks to a two-RBI double by Jesus Flores. But this wasn't your standard two-RBI double. The ball traveled to the base of the 377-foot marker in left-center field despite the fact that...

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Despite apparent injury, Desmond batting fifth (LaRoche rests)

June 16, 2012, 7:30am

Nationals

Despite apparent injury, Desmond batting fifth (LaRoche rests)

We're under two hours until today's first pitch. Why has the Nationals' lineup still not been posted yet? Another injury, that's why. Trainers are currently looking at shortstop Ian Desmond, who has been battling what manager Davey Johnson referred to as "one of those side injuries." Sounds like yet another oblique issue, something which has also plagued Adam LaRoche and Mark DeRosa this season and is becoming one of the more common injuries around baseball. Johnson was first made...

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Things don't break Nats' way in crucial seventh inning

June 15, 2012, 7:50pm

Nationals

Things don't break Nats' way in crucial seventh inning

If you didn't catch tonight's game, you might check the box score and think the Yankees demolished the Nationals in the opener of their much-anticipated three-game series. The Nats don't feel that was the case. "It wasn't like we got crushed tonight," shortstop Ian Desmond said. "The score probably says so, but we were in the game. Just like I said, a couple mistakes." Some of those mistakes came early, when the Nats left two runners on in the first and then only managed one run...

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Bats go quiet in 7-2 loss to Yankees

June 15, 2012, 6:08pm

Nationals

Over the last six innings of tonight's game, the Nationals struck out nine times and had just three runners reach base. Their play in the first three frames wasn't nearly enough to carry that type of offensive shutdown. Eighteen of the last 21 Nats hitters to come to the plate tonight were retired while the Yankees rode a four-run seventh inning to a 7-2 win. Curtis Granderson drove in three of those seven Yankees runs with a two-run double in the seventh and a solo homer, his 20th of the...

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Nats trail despite another quality start from Gonzalez (updated)

June 15, 2012, 5:10pm

Nationals

Nats trail despite another quality start from Gonzalez (updated)

It wasn't one of Gio Gonzalez's finest outings, but he leaves here in the seventh with his team trailing the Yankees just 2-1. Gonzalez battled his way through six-plus innings, leaving after throwing 109 pitches but holding the Yankees to just two runs over six. Both of those runs came in the third inning on back-to-back RBI singles by Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher. Neither ball was struck all that well, but both had enough to get through the infield and plate a run. The Nationals...

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Johnson asking for more from his power hitters

June 15, 2012, 3:47pm

Nationals

Johnson asking for more from his power hitters

Davey Johnson was asked during his pregame session with reporters about his experience facing the Yankees. "I have some good memories," Johnson said. "I (also) have some bad memories of 12-year-olds reaching over the field and catching balls." Ah, Jeffrey Maier. You continue to haunt those associated with the Orioles even today. On their last six-game road trip, the Nationals scored just over five runs a game, boosting their season average to 3.93 runs per contest. The offense has...

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Harper squares off against the pinstripes

June 15, 2012, 2:37pm

Nationals

Harper squares off against the pinstripes

Nationals first-round pick Lucas Giolito is at Nats Park for the second straight day, talking with team officials and watching the Nats take batting practice from behind the cage. The 16th overall pick out of Harvard-Westlake School (Calif.) was at Ryan Zimmerman's charity event at the stadium last night, but today, the 6-foot-6, 230-lb. right-hander is getting an up-close look at the Nats players in action. He spent time talking with general manager Mike Rizzo and owner Mark Lerner (towering...

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LaRoche back in Nats lineup (plus your predictions)

June 15, 2012, 11:35am

Nationals

LaRoche back in Nats lineup (plus your predictions)

Adam LaRoche got the day off on Wednesday for the final game of the Nationals' six-game road trip after he fouled a ball off his right foot the night before. That opened the door for Tyler Moore's two-home run, five-RBI performance in Wednesday's win over the Blue Jays. Today, LaRoche returns to the Nats lineup for the series opener against the Yankees, and Moore returns to the bench. LaRoche will be back in the cleanup spot in the order and will play first. Here's the Nats lineup for...

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With the Yanks in town, what a fun weekend it should be

June 15, 2012, 8:11am

Nationals

With the Yanks in town, what a fun weekend it should be

Two first-place teams. Two teams riding six-game winning streaks. Two teams with star power playing in front of what will almost certainly be sellout crowds every day. Yup, this three-game series should be plenty of fun. The Nationals host the Yankees this weekend in a series which will draw lots of attention across Major League Baseball. We won't get Stephen Strasburg or CC Sabathia on the hill at any point during this weekend's action (and missing Strasburg is fine with Alex Rodriguez,...

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A (successful) Night at the Park

June 14, 2012, 10:26pm

Nationals

It started as just a simple idea, one which took shape during a conversation in the Zimmerman living room back in early 2006. Ryan Zimmerman, fresh off a season which saw him make his major league debut, wanted to start a foundation which would raise money to benefit the treatment and ultimate cure of Multiple Sclerosis, the debilitating disease which his mother Cheryl was diagnosed with in 1995. The ziMS foundation was born, and initially was focused around a charity golf tournament in...

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Getting an opportunity to perform, Nats rookies up to the task

June 14, 2012, 5:38am

Nationals

Getting an opportunity to perform, Nats rookies up to the task

Of the four rookies on the Nationals roster, one is getting enough attention and media coverage to make your head spin. You have an idea which one I'm referring to? I know, that's a clown question, bro. If you get into a conversation about the Nats these days, Bryce Harper is almost certainly the first name to come up. He finds his way into every Nationals highlight, dominates the social media landscape and is a hot topic among those who aren't even fans of the team that currently leads...

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I'll have some Moore, please (Nats lock up a 6-0 road trip)

June 13, 2012, 10:58am

Nationals

I'll have some Moore, please (Nats lock up a 6-0 road trip)

Have yourself a day, Tyler Moore. Filling in for Adam LaRoche, who is getting his first day off since May 7, Moore not only notched his first career RBI with a two-run double to left in the second inning, he also recorded his first major league homer in the fourth inning. That was a two-run shot that made it a 4-2 game. But Moore wasn't done. His next time up, the rookie crushed another ball, this one to dead center field. It landed in the tarped-off seats for another homer, giving the...

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Rare day off for LaRoche, Moore starts at first

June 13, 2012, 6:52am

Nationals

Rare day off for LaRoche, Moore starts at first

For the first time since May 7, the last day of a four-game stretch in which he was sidelined by an oblique injury, Adam LaRoche is not in the Nationals' lineup. LaRoche will get the day off today, while rookie Tyler Moore will make his first career start at first base. First base is Moore's natural position, but he's strictly played the outfield during his time with the Nats, largely because LaRoche has been a mainstay in the Nats' lineup at first. Also, on a side note, Bryce Harper...