Mark Zuckerman

Wednesday morning Q&A from Philadelphia

May 31, 2016, 7:51pm

PHILADELPHIA - Is it really June already? How did that happen? Tonight the Nationals play their 54th game of the season, officially the one-third point of the 162-game marathon, and it certainly feels like things have flown by so far. There has been a lot of good for this team so far (Bryce Harper's April, Daniel Murphy's April and May, Stephen Strasburg's perfect record, stellar defense from everyone, a much-improved bullpen). And there has been some bad (Harper's May, just about everyone...

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Ross finishes strong to secure his latest victory for Nats

May 31, 2016, 7:39pm

Nationals

Ross finishes strong to secure his latest victory for Nats

PHILADELPHIA - Joe Ross understood the situation. The tying run was on base in a one-run game. The go-ahead run was at the plate. There were two outs in the seventh. His pitch count was about to reach triple digits. Sammy Solis was warming in the Nationals bullpen. "It's like, if this guy gets on base," Ross said, "I doubt I'll get another chance to get the next guy." So the young right-hander threw everything he had at that final Phillies batter he would face on this night. It happened...

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Nats hit four homers to support Ross in 5-1 win over Phillies

May 31, 2016, 6:01pm

Nationals

Nats hit four homers to support Ross in 5-1 win over Phillies

PHILADELPHIA - With Bryce Harper nursing a sore right knee, the Nationals turned to others in their lineup for tonight's supply of power. Jayson Werth, Daniel Murphy, Danny Espinosa and Stephen Drew all clubbed home runs for the Nationals, who also got a dominant start out of Joe Ross en route to a 5-1 victory over the Phillies. Werth launched his homer in the top of the first, pouncing on right-hander Aaron Nola's first-pitch fastball and sending the ball flying to left-center field. The...

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Werth homers again in Philly, leaving fans booing (Nats win 5-1)

May 31, 2016, 4:12pm

Nationals

Werth homers again in Philly, leaving fans booing (Nats win 5-1)

PHILADELPHIA - They still boo Jayson Werth every time he steps to the plate here at Citizens Bank Park, even six years since he left the Phillies to sign with the Nationals. And then they boo even louder every time he does something that makes those fans wish their hometown team had made more of an effort to re-sign him when they had the chance. Werth was up to his old tricks again tonight, homering in the top of the first inning against Philadelphia right-hander Aaron Nola to give the...

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Harper out tonight with sore knee, could miss rest of series

May 31, 2016, 2:17pm

Nationals

Harper out tonight with sore knee, could miss rest of series

PHILADELPHIA - His right knee still sore after getting struck by a fastball Monday night, Bryce Harper is out of the Nationals lineup for tonight's game against the Phillies, and it's possible the reigning NL MVP will miss the remainder of this series. Harper, who was diagnosed Monday with a contusion, was wearing a sleeve over the knee this afternoon and was still moving gingerly around the visiting clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park. Though he doesn't believe the injury is serious, he does...

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Game 53 lineups: Nats at Phillies

May 31, 2016, 11:27am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - Let's get right down to it, because this is what you really want to know: Bryce Harper is not in the Nationals lineup tonight. That's not a huge surprise after Harper took a fastball off the outside of his right knee in the seventh inning last night, ultimately departing after trying to run the bases. Though he officially was diagnosed with a contusion, the 23-year-old slugger was still in some obvious pain postgame, walking gingerly around the clubhouse. Nobody believes the...

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Werth continues recent surge with clutch hit

May 31, 2016, 4:28am

Nationals

Werth continues recent surge with clutch hit

PHILADELPHIA - Daniel Murphy was the main topic of discussion last night, considering he went 3-for-4 with a homer, drove in the game-winning runs in the Nationals' 4-3 victory over the Phillies and raised his MLB-leading batting average to .395. But Murphy never would have been in position to win the game if not for an equally important at-bat by Jayson Werth a few minutes earlier, so let's give the 37-year-old left fielder his due as well. With two outs, two on and the Nationals still...

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Murphy delivers again for Nats: "He's carrying our team"

May 30, 2016, 7:54pm

Nationals

Murphy delivers again for Nats: "He's carrying our team"

PHILADELPHIA - Daniel Murphy isn't going to do this the entire season. It's just not possible in this day and age to do what only a handful have come close to doing in the 75 years since Ted Williams last broke the .400 barrier. But Memorial Day has now come and gone, and Murphy still owns a .395 batting average, so why shouldn't the Nationals enjoy every moment of this remarkable run? Especially on nights like this, when Murphy not only produces but produces in big spots to help lift his...

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Nats rally after Harper injury to beat Phillies 4-3

May 30, 2016, 6:02pm

Nationals

Nats rally after Harper injury to beat Phillies 4-3

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals lost Bryce Harper to an apparent right knee injury. They refused to also lose another game to the Phillies. Harper's seventh-inning departure shortly after taking a pitch off the outside of the knee cast a pall over this Memorial Day series opener at Citizens Bank Park. But thanks to a furious rally by his teammates, most notably Jayson Werth and Daniel Murphy, the Nationals turned what would have been a demoralizing loss into an impressive, come-from-behind, 4-3...

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Harper day-to-day after suffering right knee contusion (updated)

May 30, 2016, 5:08pm

Nationals

Harper day-to-day after suffering right knee contusion (updated)

PHILADELPHIA - Bryce Harper was forced out of tonight's game against the Phillies after taking a seventh-inning pitch from Jeremy Hellickson off his right knee, but the Nationals MVP slugger appears to have avoided serious injury and may not have to sit out more than a day or two to recover. "It hurts," Harper said, limping slightly around the clubhouse following the Nats' 4-3 victory. "Whenever you get squared up like that, definitely something that didn't feel good. I think we'll...

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Murphy breaks scoreless streak vs. Phillies (Nats win 4-3)

May 30, 2016, 4:17pm

Nationals

Murphy breaks scoreless streak vs. Phillies (Nats win 4-3)

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals have had all kinds of trouble producing against the Phillies over the last month. But at least they can count on their most reliable offensive threat to deliver for them, no matter the opponent. Daniel Murphy has provided all of the Nats' offense so far tonight at Citizens Bank Park, doubling in the top of the second and then homering in the top of the fourth, knotting up this series opener at 1-1. Murphy drove Jeremy Hellickson's 0-1 pitch over the out-of-town...

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Could this be the road trip that snaps Harper out of slump?

May 30, 2016, 2:19pm

Nationals

Could this be the road trip that snaps Harper out of slump?

PHILADELPHIA - If ever there was a road trip tailor-made to break Bryce Harper out of his slump, this might well be it. The Nationals open a three-game series tonight at Citizens Bank Park, a hitter's haven that has been awfully kind to Harper of late. Then they head to Cincinnati, home of the bandbox otherwise known as Great American Ball Park and the worst pitching staff in the majors. Perhaps this is the week Harper gets himself back on track after a difficult month that has made his...

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Game 52 lineups: Nats at Phillies

May 30, 2016, 11:33am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - Hello from Citizens Bank Park, where tonight the Nationals open a three-city, nine-game road trip with a Memorial Day opener against the Phillies. This, of course, is the same Philly club that shockingly swept the Nats last month in D.C., but it's not exactly playing like the same club. After winning a bunch of one-run games early in the year, the Phillies have now lost seven of their last nine games and desperately are trying to maintain a winning record. The Nationals will try...

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Ramos parlays video study with daughter into big day at plate

May 29, 2016, 9:18pm

Nationals

Ramos parlays video study with daughter into big day at plate

Wilson Ramos was playing with his 20-month-old daughter Saturday night, impressed with her ability to operate an iPad. Somehow, she managed to change the cartoon she was watching into a video clip of a certain Nationals catcher hitting a home run at Wrigley Field earlier this month. "For some reason, she was pointing it out and saying: 'Daddy! Daddy!' " Ramos said through interpreter Octavio Martinez. "Kind of like saying: 'This is you.' For whatever reason today, I took that same...

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Werth makes most of day off, launches grand slam off bench

May 29, 2016, 2:39pm

Nationals

Werth makes most of day off, launches grand slam off bench

Different players approach days off in different ways. Some like to take a full mental and physical break, and just watch the game from the dugout, available only in case of emergency. Others like to take the opportunity to work on something, maybe find what has been missing from their swing that perhaps provoked the day off. Jayson Werth has taken both approaches during his career, preferring rest when he's physically ailing but wanting to tinker when he's healthy and perhaps struggling. So...

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Harper, Ramos deliver during three-run rally (Nats win 10-2)

May 29, 2016, 10:57am

Nationals

Harper, Ramos deliver during three-run rally (Nats win 10-2)

The Nationals have nearly been no-hit by Michael Wacha before. They certainly didn't want to find themselves in that same boat today, so it's safe to say they breathed a sigh of relief when Michael A. Taylor broke up the right-hander's shot at history before things started to get too serious. And then it's safe to say they were downright giddy when Taylor's double in the bottom of the fourth set the table for a three-run rally that has given them a 3-1 lead. Taylor's leadoff double...

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Belisle ready but expects to continue rehab at Harrisburg

May 29, 2016, 8:15am

Nationals

Belisle ready but expects to continue rehab at Harrisburg

Matt Belisle believes he's ready to come off the disabled list and rejoin the Nationals bullpen. The club, however, wants the veteran right-hander to continue his rehab assignment. So after three appearances at high Single-A Potomac, Belisle is now expected to head to Double-A Harrisburg. Belisle, out since April 26 with a strained right calf, pitched two innings last night for Potomac, allowing two runs on four hits (one of them a homer). He also struck out three. That came after two...

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Game 51 lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals

May 29, 2016, 6:44am

Nationals

Since the Nationals have lost only three series this season, this isn't a familiar position for them today, needing to beat the Cardinals to salvage a four-game split and avoid a 2-5 homestand. So there's a little bit of pressure on them this afternoon after back-to-back losses. The good news: Stephen Strasburg is pitching for the Nats, and he has been fantastic, with eight quality starts in 10 tries this season. In seven of those starts, he has allowed two or fewer earned runs. Five times he...

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Murphy sets new club record with 41 hits in a month

May 28, 2016, 9:00pm

Nationals

Murphy sets new club record with 41 hits in a month

It wasn't the prettiest hit he's recorded all season, and it probably should have been caught by Cardinals right fielder Stephen Piscotty, but Daniel Murphy won't complain about the second-inning single last night that gave him a new Nationals club record. That single, which came on a blooper to shallow right field that went in and out of a diving Piscotty's glove, was Murphy's 41st hit of May. And that's more hits than any player in Nationals history has ever recorded in a single...

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Gonzalez down on himself for inability to give bullpen a break

May 28, 2016, 7:52pm

Nationals

Gonzalez down on himself for inability to give bullpen a break

Pitchers can live with the hits they surrender, even the home runs. What they can't live with are the walks they issue that drive up their pitch count and prevent them from reaching the game's latter innings. So when Gio Gonzalez was upset with himself following the Nationals' 9-4 loss to the Cardinals tonight, it wasn't so much because of the six runs he surrendered via a flurry of two-out hits (including one by opposing pitcher Adam Wainwright). It was because he couldn't even complete...