cardinals - Blog

Johnson discusses a thrilling Game 4 walk-off win

October 11, 2012, 4:53pm

I don't know where to begin. I'll get to quotes from the walk-off hero, the starting pitcher who threw the game of his life with the pressure of an entire organization on his shoulders and all the other guys who contributed in between. First, here's Davey Johnson. The Nationals skipper said both after last night's blowout loss and before today's must-win Game 4 that he had no reason to doubt that his team would come through in a big spot. They entered today's game confident despite the...

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A reason to cheer and a tie ballgame (a heck of an effort from Detwiler)

October 11, 2012, 1:08pm

Nationals

A reason to cheer and a tie ballgame (a heck of an effort from Detwiler)

Finally, this crowd had something to cheer about. More than 45,000 fans waited for a reason to explode all game yesterday. The Cardinals took a lead in the top of the first, piled on in the second and then never looked back. The largest crowd in Nationals Park history never got a chance to let loose. They sure did in the second inning today, when Adam LaRoche ripped a solo homer to center to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead. LaRoche fouled off three straight 3-2 pitches and then roped a 92 mph...

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Johnson on Nats' must-win mindset, Espinosa's approach

October 11, 2012, 11:23am

Nationals

Johnson on Nats' must-win mindset, Espinosa's approach

This is it. As Jayson Werth said yesterday, the Nationals have one game to play and one game to win. The Nats' backs are against the wall today, but they're ready to go out and fight. Mark DeRosa said he planned to give his teammates a bit of a pep talk today, telling them to enjoy the moment and play with a sense of urgency. Manager Davey Johnson won't do the same, but he spoke to some guys individually and spent time during batting practice going around and having one-on-one chats, as he...

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Lineup remains the same, Zimmermann available in relief

October 11, 2012, 9:06am

Nationals

Lineup remains the same, Zimmermann available in relief

The Nationals' lineup will remain the same for today's must-win Game 4 of the best-of-five National League Division Series. Davey Johnson will not make tweaks to his batting order today, despite Danny Espinosa's struggles and the offense's recent issues driving in runs. "Going right with what we had yesterday," Johnson said. "Going to have a little better outcome." Jordan Zimmermann will be available in relief today if Ross Detwiler falters or is unable to work deep into the game....

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Strasburg or no Strasburg, Nats not playing well enough to win

October 11, 2012, 6:06am

Nationals

Strasburg or no Strasburg, Nats not playing well enough to win

I hated myself for being so tired last night that I passed out before the end of the Tigers-A's game. When did I get so old that regardless of how tired I was (and man, was I tired), I couldn't fight through it and watch late-night postseason baseball? C'mon, Kolko, get it together. This is what I get, I guess. I miss a thrilling ninth-inning comeback in which the A's scored three runs to earn a walk-off win and force Game 5. That game actually ended up affecting the Nationals-Cardinals...

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Detwiler ready to forget last start on must-win Thursday

October 10, 2012, 9:16pm

Nationals

Detwiler ready to forget last start on must-win Thursday

Ross Detwiler chooses to forget his last outing. He lasted only 2 1/3 innings and gave up three earned runs on four hits with five walks. It was a loss. Who was it against? The St. Louis Cardinals. "I try not to remember that one," Detwiler said of his Sept. 30 start. "I am really going out there trying to throw strikes, trying to get ahead in the count. Make the hitters hit my pitch instead having to come after them 2-1 and 3-1 like I was the whole time." Which team does Detwiler need...

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Hearing from the hitters after another rough day at the plate

October 10, 2012, 3:20pm

Nationals

Hearing from the hitters after another rough day at the plate

It was a very quiet Nationals clubhouse following today's 8-0 loss to the Cardinals. It might take a few hours to get past this one, given the way the Nats were dominated in their home park in the much-anticipated first playoff game in D.C. in 79 years. Not only did the Nationals' pitchers fail to do much to contain a dangerous St. Louis offense, the Nats did nothing with the bats to help pick up the slack and overcome some rocky innings put up by Edwin Jackson, Craig Stammen, Christian...

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Jackson, starters struggling to keep runs off the board

October 10, 2012, 3:22pm

Nationals

Jackson, starters struggling to keep runs off the board

The Nationals' starting pitching has had trouble getting off to quick starts in this series. Following Wednesday's 8-0 Game 3 win, the Cardinals have now scored nine runs in the second inning in three games and a total of 13 runs in the first four innings during the series. In that same span, the Nationals have tallied a total of two runs. Nationals starters have allowed 11 runs in 13 innings. The Cardinals' starters, by contrast, have gone 13 1/3 innings and surrendered a total of two...

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Davey Johnson: "We're not out of this by a long shot"

October 10, 2012, 2:10pm

Nationals

Davey Johnson: "We're not out of this by a long shot"

Over the last two games, the Nationals have been outscored 20-4. They've gone from being in control of the series after a Game 1 win at St. Louis to being on the ropes and one loss from booking tee times. Things have turned for the worse in a hurry. But Davey Johnson's been here before. He knows he's got a talented group and he's not ready to panic. "We're not out of this by a long shot. ... Shoot, I've had my back to worse walls than this," Johnson said. "I like my ballclub, and I...

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A common theme is emerging (Nats routed in Game 3)

October 10, 2012, 11:22am

Nationals

A common theme is emerging (Nats routed in Game 3)

For the series, the Nationals have left 27 runners on base and gone 3-for-23 with runners in scoring position. They've left at least one runner on in every inning so far today, and have stranded runners in scoring position in four of the five frames. In the fifth, they left the bases loaded when Michael Morse flied out to end the inning. Edwin Jackson won't be thrilled with his effort this afternoon, but he's far from the main problem. Chris Carpenter has allowed five hits, walked two...

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Nats will be tested by Carpenter

October 10, 2012, 8:08am

Nationals

Chris Carpenter missed nearly the entire regular season after having a bizarre surgery to remove a rib, and he threw just 17 innings over his three starts prior to the playoffs. But the Cardinals won't put any limit on their veteran right-hander today as he pitches in Game 3 of the best-of-five National League Division Series. "We plan on going in and just watch him as he goes," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said today. "And he's a pretty fair evaluator of himself as well. But we...

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Jackson in trouble early (Nationals missing offensive opportunities)

October 10, 2012, 9:56am

Nationals

For the second straight game, a Nationals starter has fallen behind big before the end of the second inning. On Monday, it was Jordan Zimmermann putting the Nats in a 4-1 hole after two innings. Today, it's Edwin Jackson who has allowed four runs in the first two frames, leaving the Nats trailing 4-0. Jackson retired the first two hitters he faced to start the game, but allowed a two-out single to Matt Holliday and an RBI double down the left field line to Allen Craig, getting the Cardinals...

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Nats, Cards lineups for NLDS Game 3

October 10, 2012, 5:56am

Nationals

Today's Nationals and Cardinals lineups look exactly the same as the ones we saw in the first two games of the National League Division Series - with the exception, of course, of new pitchers. The Nationals will send Edwin Jackson to the mound for Game 3. He'll oppose Cardinals righty Chris Carpenter, who made only three regular season starts this season but is the franchise's all-time leader in postseason wins. For the Nats: RF Jayson Werth CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman 1B Adam...

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Johnson believes Espinosa can get on track at home

October 10, 2012, 7:54am

Nationals

Johnson believes Espinosa can get on track at home

Nationals manager Davey Johnson is not worried about second baseman Danny Espinosa and his slow start in the National League Division Series. Espinosa went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in Game 1. In Game 2, he fared much better. Espinosa walked, had a groundout, hit a ball that could very easily have been extra bases if not for an amazing catch by Cardinals' outfielder Jon Jay and smacked a clean single in the eighth inning. Overall, the second baseman is 1-for-7 with a single, walk and...

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Morse and Desmond ready for challenge of Cardinals back home

October 09, 2012, 12:34pm

Nationals

Morse and Desmond ready for challenge of Cardinals back home

Nationals left fielder Michael Morse said the St. Louis Cardinals were very good, as expected, at Busch Stadium in the first two games of the National League Division Series. After the Nationals won Game 1, 3-2, the Cardinals rebounded to take Game 2, 12-4. "They are a tough team at home," Morse said. "If you look at their numbers home and away, they are a tough team to beat. Just like when we were there a couple of weeks ago, they put up some big numbers." This season, the Cardinals were...

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Which Edwin Jackson will we see?

October 09, 2012, 1:51pm

Nationals

There's plenty to have our eyes on tomorrow. Chris Carpenter is starting for St. Louis despite making just three regular season appearances this season. The Nationals are trying to improve on their .188 average with runners in scoring position in this series. Washington appears practically unable to touch Cardinals flame-throwing rookie reliever Trevor Rosenthal (whose stuff Bryce Harper referred to today as "fuego"). It all could factor in tomorrow afternoon. But in my mind, no storyline...

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Start times set for NLDS Games 4 and 5

October 09, 2012, 11:14am

Nationals

Major League Baseball has announced the start times for Games 4 and 5 of the National League Division Series between the Nationals and Cardinals, and the schedule will bring the Sun Monster into play on Thursday. Game 4 is currently set to begin at 4:07 p.m., on Thursday, although it could be moved back an hour to 5:07 p.m., if the Tigers-Athletics series has ended by then. Essentially, if the Tigers, who hold a 2-0 lead in that series, win tonight or tomorrow, the Nats-Cardinals will play...

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Matheny goes with rookie Shelby Miller to replace injured Garcia

October 09, 2012, 11:47am

Nationals

Matheny goes with rookie Shelby Miller to replace injured Garcia

St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny announced Tuesday that right-hander Jaime Garcia has been removed from the postseason roster due to a right rotator cuff strain with some inflammation. The Cardinals and Nationals were in Washington on Tuesday and completed scheduled workouts at Nationals Park. The National League Division Series is even at one game apiece, with Game 3 scheduled to begin a 1:07 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. Matheny said Garcia will get a second opinion on the shoulder. The...

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Despite loss, Nats feel they did their job

October 08, 2012, 6:58pm

Nationals

Despite loss, Nats feel they did their job

ST. LOUIS - Bryce Harper, who is 1-for-10 with six strikeouts over his first two career postseason games, was asked after today's game whether he feels like he's overanxious at the plate or trying to do a bit too much. "You think I'm overanxious? You think so?" Harper asked the reporter, who responded in the affirmative. "Well, you should be our hitting coach." Harper delivered a big double in the seventh inning to give the Nationals a chance to get back into the ballgame, but he was...

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Hearing from Zimmermann, Stammen after a rough day for the pitchers

October 08, 2012, 6:21pm

Nationals

Hearing from Zimmermann, Stammen after a rough day for the pitchers

ST. LOUIS - It didn't really matter who was on the mound for the Nationals today. Four of the seven Nats pitchers gave up at least a run. All but Ryan Mattheus allowed at least a baserunner. The Cardinals teed off this afternoon, jumping out big and not easing up. "They have a great lineup. It's tough," said Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann. "You get a few guys out, then you look up and you've got (Carlos) Beltran coming up, (David) Freese. It just never stops. Their lineup, you...