Gio Gonzalez turns in best start since May

Gio Gonzalez turns in best start since May
Two innings into his start last night, Gio Gonzalez had an all-too-familiar look to himself. He was having trouble putting hitters away, resulting in a hefty pitch count of 43. He had already walked two batters. And though he had surrendered just one run to the Dodgers, he seemed to be teetering on the brink of far more serious damage. What transpired after that - four more scoreless innings on just 54 pitches - offered the best evidence in a long time that Gonzalez can right what has turned...
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Nationals combine power and speed in rout of Dodgers

Nationals combine power and speed in rout of Dodgers
The Nationals score many of their runs via the home run. They lead the National League with 132 of them, and are on pace for 225 by season's end, which would destroy the club's previous record of 194 in 2014. So the fact they hit four homers tonight during an 8-1 thumping of the Dodgers should not come as much of a surprise. This is what they do. But here's what they're also trying to do on a more regular basis: Score runs not with power, but with speed. Just like they did during a...
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Harper reaches third deck for 20th homer (Nats win 8-1)

Harper reaches third deck for 20th homer (Nats win 8-1)
If it's possible for one swing to get Bryce Harper back into MVP form, this might have been the one. Harper launched a towering home run off Bud Norris in the bottom of the first inning tonight, sending the 3-1 pitch halfway up the third deck down the right field line at Nationals Park, the farthest a ball has ever traveled to that portion of the stadium. The two-run blast traveled 451 feet and left Harper's bat with a velocity of 113 mph, according to Major League Baseball's Statcast...
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Lopez demoted after debut, Glover gets surprise promotion

Lopez demoted after debut, Glover gets surprise promotion
Reynaldo Lopez's first stint in the big leagues was a brief one. The Nationals optioned the right-hander back to Triple-A Syracuse one day after the 22-year-old was roughed up in his major league debut. The pitcher the club promoted to take Lopez's spot, though, is even less experienced than the one he will replace: Koda Glover, who had his contract purchased from Syracuse to complete the 2015 draft pick's meteoric rise through the organization's farm system. Glover, also 22, was an...
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Game 95 lineups: Nats vs. Dodgers

Game 95 lineups: Nats vs. Dodgers
If you experienced last night's sudden and violent thunderstorm, you know how much rain and hail fell from the sky in a very short amount of time. And if you saw photos or video from Nationals Park around 11 p.m., you know how bad the field and warning track looked, with the grounds crew unable to get the tarp out fast enough to beat the storm. Well, only 15 hours later, you'd never know what hit the place. The field looks fantastic, with scant evidence of the damage. Major props to John...
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What's next for Lopez and Giolito?

What's next for Lopez and Giolito?
Reynaldo Lopez revealed both weaknesses (a very hittable fastball) and strengths (a very unhittable curveball and changeup) in his major league debut last night, enough to leave the Nationals plenty intrigued to see more of the 22-year-old. "He's young, this is the big leagues, and you're facing big-league hitters," manager Dusty Baker said after Lopez gave up six runs and 10 hits but struck out nine in 4 2/3 innings. "But he's very bright. Just gotta tighten up a few things. I think...
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After initial onslaught, Lopez salvages first career start

After initial onslaught, Lopez salvages first career start
Reynaldo Lopez did not necessarily expect to find himself standing on the mound at Nationals Park this evening, a sellout crowd of 38,747 buzzing about the opener of a series against the high-profile Dodgers, but the 22-year-old found himself here because of the eye-popping repertoire of pitches he has shown off in the minors. That repertoire is headlined by a fastball that has reached triple digits before and on this night consistently sat in the 97-98 mph range. Minor league hitters were...
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Lopez roughed up early in MLB debut (Nats lose 8-4)

Lopez roughed up early in MLB debut (Nats lose 8-4)
Dusty Baker had never seen Reynaldo Lopez in person before the 22-year-old right-hander took the mound tonight for his major league debut, only reports on one of the Nationals' top pitching prospects. And what did those reports on Lopez say? "The reports are that he can get away with more because he's throwing almost 100," Baker said this afternoon. "That's exactly what the reports are. He might not have to be ... as fine when you're throwing hard like that." Reality hasn't exactly...
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What Ross' recovery timetable means for Giolito and Lopez

What Ross' recovery timetable means for Giolito and Lopez
Joe Ross threw 35 pitches during a simulated game today, an encouraging step for the injured Nationals right-hander, who should be ready next to make a minor league rehab start. Ross, out since July 3 with right shoulder inflammation, came out of today's session with live hitters reporting no issues. "Joe, he looked very good today," manager Dusty Baker said. "I think he threw 35 pitches or something like that, consecutive pitches. So that's a pretty good sign. He had good velocity, good...
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Game 94 lineups: Nats vs. Dodgers

Game 94 lineups: Nats vs. Dodgers
It may not garner as much attention as Lucas Giolito's major league debut a couple of weeks ago, but Reynaldo Lopez's first career start tonight for the Nationals is nearly as significant a development. The 22-year-old right-hander is one of the organization's top pitching prospects and has rocketed his up the farm system in the last year, going from Single-A Potomac to Double-A Harrisburg and then briefly to Triple-A Syracuse before earning this final promotion. Lopez also is the first...
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Balancing talent with chemistry as the trade deadline approaches

Balancing talent with chemistry as the trade deadline approaches
The Nationals own a 5 1/2-game lead in the National League East and the third-best record in the NL. They have the lowest ERA in the majors, have hit the most homers in the NL and boast the best fielding percentage in baseball. Yet the biggest question facing general manager Mike Rizzo these days is a simple one: Could he make his team even better before the non-waiver trade deadline, now looming in the not-too-distant future on Aug. 1? (The deadline was pushed back this year from the...
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Trea Turner explains his key baserunning blunder

Trea Turner explains his key baserunning blunder
When Trea Turner singled to left field in the fourth inning of Friday night's game, the Nationals rookie couldn't help but notice the lackadaisical manner in which the Pirates' Starling Marte got the ball back to the infield. Turner made a mental note, wondering if another opportunity would arrive later in the weekend to use that knowledge to his advantage. "The base hit I had the other day, I saw the left fielder ... take his time," Turner said. "When you hit the ball to left field, the...
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An emotional high in ninth, a demoralizing low in 18th

An emotional high in ninth, a demoralizing low in 18th
It was about as uplifting a moment as the Nationals have experienced all season, their injured All-Star infielder coming up to bat with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and in his first at-bat in five days sending a game-tying homer down the right field line that earned him a curtain call from the crowd of 32,775. Daniel Murphy's dramatic home run represented the kind of moment teams look back at months from now as a highlight of a season that perhaps ends with an even more memorable...
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Tuesday's starter vs. Dodgers still TBA (Nats lose 2-1 in 18)

Tuesday's starter vs. Dodgers still TBA (Nats lose 2-1 in 18)
The Nationals don't need to add a fifth starter to their rotation until next weekend, but it appears they'll go ahead and make a move in time for Tuesday night's game against the Dodgers. For now, the club is listing Tuesday's starter as "TBA," with Gio Gonzalez pitching Wednesday night and Stephen Strasburg pitching Thursday afternoon. The Nationals have options for this starting job. Joe Ross will be eligible to come off the disabled list after missing the last two weeks with right...
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Murphy out for third straight day, Rendon scratched with flu

Murphy out for third straight day, Rendon scratched with flu
The Nationals suddenly find themselves with a serious dearth of healthy infielders. Daniel Murphy is out of the lineup for the third straight day with a sore hamstring suffered in Tuesday's All-Star Game. Anthony Rendon was a late scratch due to flu-like symptoms. Add in Ryan Zimmerman, who has been on the disabled list since July 7 with a strained ribcage muscle, and the Nationals are taking the field for today's series finale against the Pirates without three of their regular starting...
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Game 93 lineups: Nats vs. Pirates (Rendon scratched)

Game 93 lineups: Nats vs. Pirates (Rendon scratched)
It's going to be a scorcher this afternoon when the Nationals and Pirates take the field for their series finale, but at least it's going to be dry after last night's rain-delayed affair. The Nats are going for the sweep, not to mention a six-game winning streak sandwiched around the All-Star break. For the third straight day, they won't have Daniel Murphy in their lineup. Dusty Baker had indicated Murphy would likely be starting today at first base, and he both jogged and took batting...
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Now 20 games over .500, Nats open up seven-game lead

Now 20 games over .500, Nats open up seven-game lead
Dusty Baker wanted the Nationals to finish the first half of the season strong. They did that. He wanted them to open the second half of the season strong. They've done that so far. And he wanted them to get to 20 games over .500, which they did last night after beating the Pirates 6-0. Clearly, these guys take their manager's challenges to heart. "That was our goal, to be 20-over," Baker said. "We were knocking on it a couple of times and we went backwards. Also, I challenged the team to...
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With little fanfare, Roark still dominating for Nationals

With little fanfare, Roark still dominating for Nationals
It doesn't take long to figure out whether Stephen Strasburg or Max Scherzer have good stuff on any given night they take the mound. One inning of work often provides enough evidence to suggest either right-hander is primed for a big game. With Tanner Roark, the signs are less acute. Roark might retire the side in the top of the first, as he did tonight in the Nationals' 6-0 victory over the Pirates. And he might even do it on eight pitches, as he did tonight. But unlike his counterparts in...
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Aggressive Nationals match 2015 steals total (Nats win 6-0)

Aggressive Nationals match 2015 steals total (Nats win 6-0)
The Nationals entered the season saying they were going to be more aggressive on the bases. And they have backed it up. With two stolen bases in the first two innings of tonight's game, the Nats now have successfully swiped 57 bases this year. That already matches their entire total from 2015, even though they're playing only their 92nd game tonight. And the Nationals' first steal of this game made a difference. Jayson Werth, who drew a one-out walk off Gerrit Cole in the bottom of the...
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Murphy good to go, but Baker holding him out (first pitch at 8:15 p.m.)

Murphy good to go, but Baker holding him out (first pitch at 8:15 p.m.)
Daniel Murphy is out of the Nationals lineup for the second straight night, but the veteran infielder is available to come off the bench and likely will start Sunday's series finale against the Pirates. Murphy, who is dealing with a sore left hamstring, actually told Dusty Baker he was well enough to start tonight, but the manager elected to take a more cautious route and hold off for another day. "It's just from my experience - my own personal experience and experience as a coach and...
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