PITTSBURGH - The National League East lead has come surprisingly easily to the Nationals, who after a brief, four-day stint in early May have held a firm grasp on first place in the division every single moment since.
The actual clinching of that title? That is requiring a bit more work and patience than hoped.
Two things needed to happen tonight for the Nationals to pop the champagne corks. Neither happened.
The Nats were in position to do their part, up a run with two outs in the bottom of...
PITTSBURGH - They weren't obvious to the naked eye, but they were there this afternoon, tucked away on the fringes of the visitors' clubhouse at PNC Park: boxes of champagne.
The Nationals know they'll be popping those things open at some point, perhaps as soon as tonight if they can beat the Pirates and the Phillies can beat the Mets at Citi Field.
Yet there weren't many other outward signs of the situation inside the clubhouse before tonight's series opener against Pittsburgh. Guys went...
PITTSBURGH - The Nationals are shutting down Daniel Murphy for at least the weekend after an MRI on the MVP candidate's left leg revealed a buttocks strain, manager Dusty Baker said.
Murphy hasn't been in the Nationals lineup since Saturday in Atlanta, when he appeared to hurt himself running the bases. He did take two pinch-hit at-bats during this week's series in Miami, but would have been replaced for a pinch-runner had he reached.
The Nationals hoped a couple days off would suffice for...
PITTSBURGH - Hello from PNC Park, splendid as ever, and the possible site tonight of something special. Not for the home club, which has held a couple of celebrations here the last few years, but for the Nationals, who tonight have a chance to clinch a division title.
The Nationals' magic number, as surely you know by now, is two. In order to clinch the National League East crown tonight, they'll need to beat the Pirates and the Mets will need to lose to the Phillies at Citi Field. So, yeah,...
From the moment they were eliminated from playoff contention 363 days ago, this was the Nationals' primary focus.
They reshaped their roster over the winter. They fired one manager, almost hired another, then wound up with yet another in the end. They watched key free agents depart. They made a couple of calculated moves to address those vacancies.
They reported to spring training in Viera with a clear goal in mind. They opened the season with an extra-inning win and never really looked back,...
No, the Nationals haven't clinched the National League East title. Yet. The champagne celebration has been pushed back just a bit. But it will happen, probably sometime this weekend in Pittsburgh. Maybe not until early next week when the team comes home to face the Diamondbacks.
And so while one eye obviously should be kept on the immediate task at hand, it's OK to start focusing the other eye on the Nationals' likely opponent in the National League Division Series: the Dodgers. (Just be...
ATLANTA - A few more thoughts after Sunday's rain-shortened, 6-2 loss to the Braves ...
* The Nationals wanted to try to get the entire game in. They weren't pushing for the umps to call it in the seventh inning. But conditions got to the point where Dusty Baker didn't feel comfortable letting his players re-take the field.
As the second rain delay dragged on during in the bottom of the seventh, Baker came out from the clubhouse to examine the infield, which the Turner Field grounds crew had...
ATLANTA - The Nationals had to be pleased with Joe Ross' return to the mound after a long stint on the disabled list. The rest of the club's performance today against the Braves? Not so much.
Ross looked sharp during a planned three-inning start, his first appearance in a big league game since right shoulder inflammation sidelined him in early July. But the bullpen gave up five runs after replacing Ross, and the lineup couldn't manage much at the plate during a 6-2 loss that was called in...
ATLANTA - The Nationals solved their ninth-inning problem when they acquired Mark Melancon at the trade deadline. But as the regular season reaches its final two weeks, they're still trying to figure out who's going to get through the eighth inning to get the ball to their new closer.
Shawn Kelley held a firm grasp on the primary setup role through most of the season, but manager Dusty Baker has tried out some new arms in the last few weeks, with mixed results.
Rookie Koda Glover struggled in...
ATLANTA - You know, the Nationals' final game at Turner Field just wouldn't be complete without the threat of rain. They've sat through far too many delays at this park over the years to remember, so what's one more if it happens today?
Hopefully, that won't be the case and the Nationals and Braves can get this game in without any problems. It's actually important from the Nats' standpoint to avoid any delays, because they need Joe Ross to be able to get at least three innings of work in...
ATLANTA - For 2 1/2 months, Joe Ross has watched the rest of the Nationals from afar, wanting to play a role in their march toward a division title but unable to contribute. Inflammation in his right shoulder lingered much longer than anyone initially expected when he was placed on the disabled list July 3.
At long last, Ross will get his chance to contribute to the cause. This afternoon, the young right-hander returns to the mound, getting the start for the Nationals in their series finale...
ATLANTA - Dusty Baker seemed to realize midway through his answer about Gio Gonzalez's ragged start during today's 7-3 loss to the Braves that some on the outside might be rolling their eyes.
"He made some good pitches," the Nationals manager insisted. "I mean, you didn't see those balls blooping in there, and stuff? You can't do anything about that. He made his pitch."
Baker then paused to make sure he addressed what everyone surely was thinking at that moment.
"I'm not just saying...
ATLANTA - Gio Gonzalez can't beat the Braves. Which has to leave the Nationals seriously wondering if they can trust the left-hander to beat a much better opponent in the playoffs.
Gonzalez was roughed up yet against by Atlanta this afternoon, lasting just 4 1/3 innings and giving up six runs during the Nationals' 7-3 loss at Turner Field.
It was Gonzalez's third start vs. the last-place Braves in the last month, and none of them were encouraging. He allowed a total of 16 runs (15 earned) in...
ATLANTA - Daniel Murphy's remarkable first season with the Nationals is now cementing its place in the club's record book.
With a third-inning double this afternoon against the Braves, Murphy tied a pair of Nationals records. His 184 hits have matched Denard Span's total from 2014. And his 47 doubles have matched Ryan Zimmerman's total from 2006.
Oh, by the way, there are still 14 more games on the schedule for Murphy to claim both records for himself and then tack on some...
ATLANTA - There may be no bigger "X" factor for the Nationals heading into the postseason than Joe Ross, who could wind up being anything from the club's No. 3 starter in October to an option out of the bullpen to not even making the roster at all.
The Nationals will use the next two weeks to decide how, or if, Ross will figure into the equation, and that process will begin Sunday when the right-hander makes his first appearance in a big league game in 2 1/2 months.
Manager Dusty Baker...
ATLANTA - After a quick turnaround from last night's 7-2 victory, the Nationals are right back at it today with a Saturday matinee against the Braves, looking to move one step closer to the National League East title. The magic number, lest you forget, is currently six. The Mets host the Twins later tonight.
Gio Gonzalez gets the start today, and each of the left-hander's outings right now feels magnified because of his importance to the Nationals' postseason fortunes with Stephen Strasburg...
ATLANTA - It would be easy to assume that Trea Turner has already shown the Nationals the best he has to offer. Shoot, how could he be any better than he already has been through 58 games this season?
But then Turner goes and has a game like he did tonight. He went 4-for-5. He scored four runs. He homered. He doubled. He drove in two runs. He stole two bases. He made another nice play in center field.
Most importantly, he was a major contributor to the Nationals' 7-2 victory over the Braves,...
ATLANTA - Max Scherzer didn't have his best stuff, but the Nationals ace gutted his way through seven strong innings, took advantage of some stellar defense behind him and rode his team's latest offensive outburst against the Braves to a 7-2 victory tonight at Turner Field.
Scherzer allowed two runs over seven innings, the 18th time he has done that or better this season, tops in the majors. He struck out eight, raising his major league-leading total to 259. And he improved to 17-7 with three...
ATLANTA - Dusty Baker is back in the Nationals dugout tonight, back with his team after spending two days at home in California following the death of a family member.
Baker arrived at Turner Field shortly after 4 p.m., luggage in tow after an all-day flight from the West Coast. He said he was able to watch Wednesday's game (a 1-0 victory over the Mets) on television, and found himself getting perhaps even more emotionally invested than he usually does when he's watching up-close.
"It's a...
ATLANTA - The Nationals haven't announced yet who will start Sunday's series finale against the Braves, but it looks like the club plans to get Joe Ross into the game in some capacity.
Ross, who has been on the disabled list since July 3 with right shoulder inflammation, has made three minor league rehab starts and threw 60 pitches in a simulated game last weekend. He threw a light bullpen session this afternoon at Turner Field, which would put him on track to pitch in Sunday's game.
Whether...
