Dan Kolko

LaRoche looking good against lefties

LaRoche looking good against lefties
ST. LOUIS - The Nationals will face Cardinals left-hander Jaime Garcia today, something that might have spelled bad news for Adam LaRoche in the past. Traditionally a significantly better hitter against right-handed pitching, the left-handed hitting LaRoche has really improved against lefties this season. Not only did he hit .268 against lefties this season, but he also had 11 home runs and an .825 OPS off southpaws in 188 plate appearances. When you factor in the sample size, those are...
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Dan Kolko

Johnson on Espinosa's struggles, his improved bench

Johnson on Espinosa's struggles, his improved bench
ST. LOUIS - Danny Espinosa battled a bone bruise in his left shoulder down the stretch this season, an injury that really put him in a rut at the plate. The Nationals' second baseman got a cortisone shot on Sept. 17, and it helped him turn things around for a stretch, as he hit .400 over his next seven games. Over his final nine regular season contests, however, Espinosa's struggles returned. He batted just .103 with 12 strikeouts in 29 at-bats, and then went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts...
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Byron Kerr

Cardinals familiar with urgency to win Game 2

Cardinals familiar with urgency to win Game 2
Winning Game 1 on the road Sunday was the best-case scenario for the playoff-infant Nationals. The 3-2 comeback victory set the tone in a short series. But these are the world champion St. Louis Cardinals, and they have been in this position before. Last season, the Cardinals lost Game 1 in both the National League Division Series and the Championship Series. A look back at how the Cardinals' first two series last season ended gives you an idea of the comeback potential of this team....
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Dan Kolko

A chance to break this thing open

A chance to break this thing open
ST. LOUIS - Just a couple days ago, there was talk that going on the road to start the postseason was a disadvantage for the Nationals. Instead of starting at home, the top-seeded Nats have their first two National League Division Series games here in St. Louis because of MLB's scheduling quirks, and that was thought to be a negative. Some fans worried that if the Nats dropped both games in St. Louis, they'd suddenly return home with their backs against the wall, with a sweep staring them...
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Dan Kolko

Hearing from G. Gonzalez, Storen, Desmond and Werth

Hearing from G. Gonzalez, Storen, Desmond and Werth
ST. LOUIS - Just to recap today's ballgame for all those who were stuck in a cave somewhere all afternoon: National League Cy Young Award candidate Gio Gonzalez walked seven hitters, the Nationals struck out 13 times, left the bases loaded twice and made two errors in the final three innings. Oh, yeah, and they won 3-2. "I don't really know how we won that game, to be honest," reliever Craig Stammen said with a smile creeping onto his face. "But we pulled it out somehow. That's kind of...
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Byron Kerr

Werth's catch at wall helps stave off Cardinals rally

Werth's catch at wall helps stave off Cardinals rally
Every postseason story has great plays that become the trademark for a team. A huge double play. A timely run-scoring hit. A game-saving catch. The Nationals had all three Sunday in their first postseason win, a 3-2 stunner at St. Louis in the National League Division Series opener. In the bottom of the sixth, with the Cardinals leading 2-1 and David Freese at first base, second baseman Daniel Descalso launched a long fly ball to deep right field that had a very good chance of leaving Busch...
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Dan Kolko

Inexperience meant nothing to Mattheus, Moore in big spots

Inexperience meant nothing to Mattheus, Moore in big spots
ST. LOUIS - Remember all the talk about the vast difference in playoff experience in this National League Division Series? How the Cardinals had an edge over the Nationals because they'd been through all this before? How the Nats might be affected in big spots because of the added pressure that comes with late-inning, playoff situations? "It obviously didn't affect us," reliever Ryan Mattheus said after today's 3-2 Nationals win. Nope, it sure didn't. That isn't to say that experience...
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Byron Kerr

The amazing two years of Tyler Moore

The amazing two years of Tyler Moore
After winning Game 1 in St. Louis 3-2, the Nationals now have three of the next four games in the series at home. Of course, Game 4 and Game 5 are if necessary. Trailing 2-1 after five innings, the Nationals found a way to get to a bullpen that had allowed more than one earned run just once in the last 14 postseason games. Well, that streak reached 14 of 15, but they still allowed two runs. And the Nationals' bench, another one of the team's many strengths, came through with the game's...
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Dan Kolko

Gonzalez settles down, Wainwright locks in (Mattheus pulls a magic act)

Gonzalez settles down, Wainwright locks in (Mattheus pulls a magic act)
ST. LOUIS - In Gio Gonzalez's first two innings, he threw 55 pitches, only 27 for strikes. He walked five and allowed two runs. Over his next two innings of work, Gonzalez threw 28 pitches, 19 for strikes. He was able to settle down, get ahead in the count and pound the strike zone. Gonzalez faced the minimum over his third and fourth innings of work, allowing only a David Freese groundball single through the hole, which was quickly erased by a nicely turned 6-4-3 double play. Gonzalez is...
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Dan Kolko

How much does experience matter? Depends who you ask

How much does experience matter? Depends who you ask
ST. LOUIS - This much seems clear after yesterday - those who have playoff experience seem to believe it'll be a benefit during their current postseason run. Those who don't, well, as you might expect, they don't feel it'll hurt them much. The contrast between the Nationals and Cardinals when it comes to postseason experience is pretty dramatic. Of the 25 guys on the Cardinals' roster for the National League Division Series, a whopping 22 have played in a playoff game, and 18 of those...
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Dan Kolko

Setting up shop at Busch Stadium

Setting up shop at Busch Stadium
ST. LOUIS - Hello from Busch Stadium, where both the Nationals and Cardinals will spend today taking part in team workouts in advance of tomorrow's NLDS opener between the two teams. They've done some quick work around here getting the stadium ready for playoff baseball. Bunting is hanging from the facade of all the different decks, (there's bunting everywhere) and Major League Baseball's postseason logo has been painted on the grass down both the first and third base lines. I'll admit...
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Dan Kolko

Heading back to St. Louis

Heading back to St. Louis
Sunday should be a pretty special day in D.C./Maryland sports. The Redskins play the Falcons at 1 p.m. The Ravens play the Chiefs, also at 1 p.m. The Nationals start their NLDS series with the Cardinals at 3:07 p.m. The Orioles open their ALDS set with the Yankees at 6:07 p.m. That's a lot happening in one 12-hour span. And for the first time in a long time, the football teams will be taking a backseat to meaningful October baseball. Just eight days after the Nationals flew into St. Louis...
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Dan Kolko

Nats to face Cardinals in NLDS (updated)

Nats to face Cardinals in NLDS (updated)
The Nationals are going to St. Louis. We think. In the first game of the new wild card era, the Cardinals beat the Braves 6-3, and will move on to the National League Division Series. They'll host the Nats for Games 1 and 2, which will be held Sunday at 3:07 p.m. and Monday at 4:37 p.m., respectively. The topic that everyone will be discussing tomorrow, however, was the incredibly bizarre play in the bottom of the eighth inning when Aldrelton Simmons' fly ball to shallow left was ruled an...
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Dan Kolko

Times for Games 1 and 2 of NLDS are set (with ump assignments)

Times for Games 1 and 2 of NLDS are set (with ump assignments)
Major League Baseball has announced the start times for the first two games of each Division Series. And the schedule they've gone with might leave some D.C. sports fans a little frustrated. The Nationals will start their first postseason game in team history (and the first playoff game in D.C. baseball history in 79 years) at 3:07 p.m. on Sunday. Monday's Game 2 will start at 4:37 p.m. Both games will air on TBS. This means that Game 1 will start sometime just after halftime of the...
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Dan Kolko

Now we wait

Now we wait
This is uncharted territory for the Washington Nationals. They've played 162 games, yet their season isn't over. The goodbyes, tee times and trips to tropical locations will have to wait. For the first time in team history, there's postseason baseball to be played. With yesterday's action in the books,
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Byron Kerr

Suzuki's clutch hit another example of his importance to Nationals' success

Suzuki's clutch hit another example of his importance to Nationals' success
The amazing emergence of catcher Kurt Suzuki has been another example of how general manager Mike Rizzo finds a way to make the right choice in a time of need for the Nationals. With a major injury to starter Wilson Ramos, Rizzo was looking for a veteran backstop who could handle a young pitching staff. He focused on Suzuki, who had hit well in his career and had done a good job over the years of throwing runners out, something the Nationals had struggled with in 2011. Suzuki was brought in...
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Dan Kolko

An intriguing pitching matchup tonight (with lineups)

An intriguing pitching matchup tonight (with lineups)
ST. LOUIS - We should have a good one at Busch Stadium tonight. Both Jordan Zimmermann and Kyle Lohse, tonight's starting pitchers, rank in the top seven in ERA in the National League going into tonight's game, so we can expect quite the pitchers' duel. Of course, I said pretty much the same exact thing back on Sept. 1, when these pitchers faced off at Nationals Park. What happened then? Zimmermann allowed eight runs over 3 2/3 in his worst start of the season, while Lohse gave up eight...
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Dan Kolko

Various notes and lineups from St. Louis

Various notes and lineups from St. Louis
ST. LOUIS - Hello from good old Missouri, and more specifically, the press box at Busch Stadium. The Gateway Arch is currently staring me right in the face as I look out on this field for the first time in person. It's a nice park, and I'm looking forward to experiencing the St. Louis baseball atmosphere I've heard so much about. And I'm serious when I say I've heard a ton about how great the in-game environment is here. These St. Louis fans better step their game up tonight and make...
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Byron Kerr

Second wild card team makes rush for playoffs intriguing for Nationals

Second wild card team makes rush for playoffs intriguing for Nationals
Based on last year's playoff format, the Atlanta Braves would be the only wild card team and the Nationals would know what to expect once October rolls around. Of course, the Nationals still need to maintain first place for that scenario to play out. The Nats will have 10 of their remaining 16 games at home after Sunday. Sunday is a big game, even if it doesn't mean the Nationals' lead will be relinquished, and they could use a win after two hard fought, one-run losses at Turner...
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Dan Kolko

Waiting on the Nats' lineup (Werth a late scratch)

Waiting on the Nats' lineup (Werth a late scratch)
We're less than two hours away from first pitch and are still waiting for the Nationals to send out their lineup for today's game against the Cardinals. The holdup is almost certainly related to Jayson Werth, who was pulled from last night's game in the ninth inning due to a hamstring cramp. Werth didn't sound concerned about the hamstring after the game and said that he hoped to be able to play today. But with it being a day game after a night game and the Nats not wanting the hamstring...
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