Game 106 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

Game 106 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
The Nationals wrap up their long homestand with their biggest series to date against the first-place Atlanta Braves. The Nats' deficit in the National League East is 5 1/2 games with 10 contests remaining in the regular season against Atlanta. Following Wednesday's series finale, the Nats embark on a nine-game road trip to Arizona, San Francisco and New York. The Nats and the Braves are each 30-23 at home. Atlanta's advantage comes on the road, where the Braves are 32-21 and the Nats...
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Grace has good opening, but Ross struggles in 9-3 loss to Dodgers

Grace has good opening, but Ross struggles in 9-3 loss to Dodgers
The Matt Grace experiment as an opener could not have gone much better. The Nationals found a way to get to Clayton Kershaw early on. All looked good for the Nats after they jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning Saturday afternoon before 39,616 at Nats Park. Grace ended up pitching in two innings. But once he left, right-hander Joe Ross allowed seven runs as the potent and unrelenting Dodgers lineup demonstrated they can take over games. Will Smith went 3-for-3 with a homer, two doubles...
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Martinez did research before putting Grace in to start (Nats fall 9-3)

Martinez did research before putting Grace in to start (Nats fall 9-3)
Nationals manager Davey Martinez decided to make an unorthodox move and start left-hander Matt Grace for today's Game 2 matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It will be Grace's first start this season and second of his career. He last started Aug.18, 2017, at San Diego after Max Scherzer was a late scratch with neck inflammation. Grace delivered with 4 1/3 innings without allowing a run on two hits. The Nats beat the Padres 7-1. Grace has thrown at least two innings six times this season....
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Game 104 lineups: Nats vs. Dodgers

Game 104 lineups: Nats vs. Dodgers
The Nationals will make the unusual step today of not using a traditional starting pitcher in Game 2 of this home series versus the Dodgers. Left-hander Matt Grace will take the mound as the opener for the Nats. Nationals manager Davey Martinez said postgame Friday night, after the club's 4-2 loss to Los Angeles, that right-hander Joe Ross will make his second start of the season for Game 2. Plans have changed, however, with Grace getting the ball to start. Dodgers three-time Cy Young winner...
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Barraclough believes he needs to trust slider more in big situations

Barraclough believes he needs to trust slider more in big situations
Of course, Nationals right-hander Kyle Barraclough is not thrilled with allowing Justin Turner to hit the game-changing, three-run homer in the eighth inning of Friday night's 4-2 loss to the Dodgers. Turner hit the homer on Barraclough's 94.7 mph four-seam fastball. Before the game, manager Davey Martinez said Barraclough had been working on his mechanics, specifically his slider, in his time in the minors rehabbing on the injured list. After giving up that homer, Barraclough said he will...
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Sánchez rolls after shaky first frame, retires 20 in a row

Sánchez rolls after shaky first frame, retires 20 in a row
Aníbal Sánchez fought through a tumultuous first inning and then shut down the Dodgers. Despite allowing four of the first five batters he faced to reach base, Sánchez bore down and got out of the inning with only one run crossing the plate. He ended up finishing seven innings, retiring the final 20 batters he faced. The Dodgers enjoyed all three of their base hits in the first frame. After Cody Bellinger's RBI single gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead, they did not threaten again against...
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Game 99 lineups: Nats vs. Rockies (game postponed)

Game 99 lineups: Nats vs. Rockies (game postponed)
The Nationals wanted to win at least three of four in Atlanta this weekend. But they instead hold steady at 6 1/2 games back in the National League East after splitting four games, falling 7-1 in Sunday night's series finale at SunTrust Park. Now the Nats return home for 10 games through July 31, beginning with four games against the Colorado Rockies. The Dodgers and Braves also visit D.C. this week and next. The Rockies are in a mile-high tailspin, losers of seven out of their first nine...
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Rendon not going to All-Star Game (Nats fall 7-4 in 11)

Rendon not going to All-Star Game (Nats fall 7-4 in 11)
Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon will not participate in this year's All-Star Game, Major League Baseball announced via Twitter this evening. MLB tweeted that Dodgers first baseman Max Muncy would replace Rendon at the Midsummer Classic next week in Cleveland. Rendon has been nursing what he's called a "nagging injury" for a few weeks now, and has not been running full speed down the line. The third baseman has said recently he would not mind using the four days off during the break...
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Ryu outduels Strasburg, Nats head home after 3-7 road trip

Ryu outduels Strasburg, Nats head home after 3-7 road trip
LOS ANGELES - Dodgers southpaw Hyun-Jin Ryu was hard to solve and Corey Seager blasted a grand slam Sunday in a 6-0 shutout of the Nationals. The left-hander did not allow a base hit until the eighth inning, thanks to another gritty at-bat from veteran Gerardo Parra. Seager put the game away with his second career grand slam in the eighth. The Nats were held to that Parra double. Brian Dozier earned the only walk off of Ryu, but finished 0-for-2 with two strikeouts against his former...
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Pitchers' duel unfolding Sunday in SoCal (Nats fall 6-0)

Pitchers' duel unfolding Sunday in SoCal (Nats fall 6-0)
LOS ANGELES - A tremendous pitching battle is unfolding on a sun splashed Sunday afternoon in Southern California between right-hander Stephen Strasburg and Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu. Ryu began with strikeouts of Brian Dozier and Juan Soto in the first inning. He retired the first nine batters he faced, holding the Nationals without a base hit for the first three innings. Strasburg struck out Joc Pederson to begin the game and enjoyed a 1-2-3 first inning. But the Dodgers plated a run in...
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Martinez updates Kendrick, Robles, Turner and Rosenthal news

Martinez updates Kendrick, Robles, Turner and Rosenthal news
LOS ANGELES - Nationals players are wearing special commemorative caps, socks and using pink bats in the series finale today against the Dodgers on Mother's Day. "I'd like to wish all the mothers a happy and wonderful Mother's Day," Martinez said to open his pregame availability. "Everybody thinks my job is hard, but I can only imagine what moms go through every day and we thank you from the bottom of our heart." On the field, Martinez elected to give infielder Howie Kendrick the day off...
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Game 40 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

Game 40 lineups: Nats at Dodgers
LOS ANGELES - Stephen Strasburg is nearing another milestone in his career. The San Diego native is three wins away from 100 for his career. He is the all-time leader in Nationals starts with 214. Earlier in the month, he reached 1,500 strikeouts, which shows Nationals manager Davey Martinez how good the right-hander has been for 10 seasons. He is now at 1,512. "That's impressive, I mean it really is," Martinez said. "Here's a guy that missed a considerable amount of time in his career and...
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Parra pulls off dramatic grand slam for 5-2 comeback win in L.A.

Parra pulls off dramatic grand slam for 5-2 comeback win in L.A.
LOS ANGELES - Hey, check out the new guy. Down in the late innings and a capacity crowd of 53,647 roaring, the Nationals pulled off one of their most dramatic comeback victories of the season thanks to their all everything super-utility signee from two days ago. Outfielder/first baseman Gerardo Parra crushed a 2-2 four-seam fastball off Dodgers reliever Dylan Floro with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth inning and his team down 2-1. The baseball sailed deep over the right-center field...
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Rosenthal makes rehab appearance with Harrisburg (Nats win 5-2)

Rosenthal makes rehab appearance with Harrisburg (Nats win 5-2)
LOS ANGELES - Nationals reliever Trevor Rosenthal participated in a rehab game tonight for Double-A Harrisburg. He tossed a scoreless inning for the Senators, striking out one and walking none. He fired 11 pitches in the seventh inning at Hartford, eight for strikes. Nationals manager Davey Martinez talked about Rosenthal's status prior to that rehab appearance. "We'll see how he feels after today's game," Martinez said. "We'd like for him to go back and pitch a couple more...
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Soto returns to lineup, feels "really good right now"

Soto returns to lineup, feels "really good right now"
LOS ANGELES - Nationals welcomed back slugging left fielder Juan Soto after missing 10 days due to back spasms. He last played in a game May 1 and is batting third tonight against the Dodgers. The Nats went 3-6 without Soto. Soto was hitting .248 with a .368 on-base percentage and a .467 slugging percentage, and he still leads the team with 22 RBIs and is tied for the lead in homers with six. He has five doubles, 19 walks and 16 runs scored. "Yeah, he said he's really good to go," said...
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Game 39 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

Game 39 lineups: Nats at Dodgers
LOS ANGELES - The Nationals and Dodgers are now all even at one game apiece in their four-game set at Dodger Stadium. The Nats won the opener 6-0 and the Dodgers won 5-3 on Friday night. The Nationals did some good things Friday but ultimately were unable to solve Kenta Maeda. They ended up with only four hits. The defense made some plays with Brian Dozier and Anthony Rendon shining, but also had a misstep when Adam Eaton could not make a play in right field and the ball got behind him. Today...
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Pederson too much for Sánchez in 5-0 Nats loss

Pederson too much for Sánchez in 5-0 Nats loss
LOS ANGELES - Right-hander Aníbal Sánchez had trouble finding a way to get Dodgers slugger Joc Pederson out. Pederson's two monster home runs were the big hits as the Los Angeles Dodgers rolled to a 5-0 win over the Nationals on Friday night. Sánchez could not finish five innings and fell to 0-6. The series is now even at one game apiece. David Freese added a two-run homer in the seventh off of Matt Grace. After the Nats opened with a 6-0 shutout Thursday night, the Dodgers returned...
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Soto takes full BP; Doolittle can handle workload (Nats fall 5-0)

Soto takes full BP; Doolittle can handle workload (Nats fall 5-0)
LOS ANGELES - It looked like normal pregame preparation for left fielder Juan Soto on Friday night, prior to the second game of the Nationals' series versus the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. That is a very good sign for Nationals manager Davey Martinez and Soto. The slugger is on course to be activated Saturday. He has been on the injured list since May 1 with back spasms. "He's doing good," Martinez said. "He's going to do full activity today. Ground balls, fly balls, hit, on...
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Game 38 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

Game 38 lineups: Nats at Dodgers
LOS ANGELES - The Nationals came to play in game one in their 6-0 win over the Dodgers. Howie Kendrick and Patrick Corbin were the biggest heroes, but the Nats also were able to do a couple of things they've had trouble doing in the season's early going: scoring runs in multiple innings and having their bullpen shut down the opponent in the final two innings. The 6-0 win is the first shutout of the Dodgers in Nationals history. The Expos last shut out the Dodgers 3-0 on September 14, 1999....
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Kendrick locked in, Gomes on Corbin's outing and more

Kendrick locked in, Gomes on Corbin's outing and more
LOS ANGELES - The biggest element of the Nationals offense, one the team has been unable to consistently demonstrate for close to 40 games, is a power-hitting bat day in and day out. Juan Soto showed what he could do with the bat in 2018. Anthony Rendon raced out to a hot start this season but was then slowed by the hit by pitch on his elbow in Miami on April 20. Matt Adams has shown flashes of his "Big City" bat, but the injury bug bit this slugger as well courtesy a left shoulder...
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