Nats keep it close, but fall again to Dodgers 3-2

Nats keep it close, but fall again to Dodgers 3-2
The Dodgers beat the Nationals for the second game in a row in this series, but this one was much more competitive than Friday's 7-0 setback. Rich Hill fired five innings of one-hit, one-run ball and five relievers combined to allow one more run as the Dodgers held on to beat the Nats 3-2. Kenley Jansen came on in the ninth to record his 38th save. Nationals manager Dusty Baker called Hill "effectively wild." It came down to Hill mixing his pitches and being able to command his...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

Hill in groove, Dodgers homer early (Nats fall 3-2)

Hill in groove, Dodgers homer early (Nats fall 3-2)
The Dodgers jumped ahead of the Nationals early for the second game in a row. Facing A.J. Cole, Cody Bellinger launched a solo homer to lead off the second inning. Coming on an 0-1 pitch, it was his 38th homer of the season. In the third, Bellinger added an RBI single that scored Chase Utley, who had doubled. Rich Hill has not allowed the Nats a base hit through three innings. Anthony Rendon walked in the second inning. Hill struck out Jayson Werth and Michael A. Taylor looking to end the...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

Game 148 lineups: Nats vs. Dodgers

Game 148 lineups: Nats vs. Dodgers
The Nationals are looking to bounce back from an uncomfortable 7-0 loss to the Dodgers to open the three-game series between National League heavyweights. Three early home runs were too much to overcome and the Nats offense struggled to get a rally going all night. The Nats do have some players on upward trends. Shortstop Trea Turner is holding steady at 40 steals on the season, one away from the all-time Nats franchise record of 41 by Alfonso Soriano in 2006. Turner has slashed .371/.421/.686...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

David Huzzard: Nats need not concern themselves with playoff matchups

David Huzzard: Nats need not concern themselves with playoff matchups
There is going to be a side story to the Dodgers-Nationals series this weekend, and like many side stories, it is flat and pointless, a time-filler to help get to the end of the season. Kind of like my run on sentences. This story is not a tale as old as time but it is one that is asked all the time of fans, players, media and front office staff: Who would you rather play in the first round? The Cubs have suffered a World Series hangover and limped through the season, but still have Anthony...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

Opposite dugout: After long skid, Dodgers no longer a lock for best NL record

Opposite dugout: After long skid, Dodgers no longer a lock for best NL record
Manager: Dave Roberts (2nd season) Record: 94-52 Last 10 games: 2-8 Who to watch: 3B Justin Turner (.326/.419/.536 with 19 HR, 67 RBIs), SS Corey Seager (.305/.385/.489 with 19 HR, 68 RBIs), 2B Chris Taylor (.296 with 19 HR, 67 RBIs), LF Cody Bellinger (37 HR, 86 RBIs), LHP Alex Wood (14-3, 2.81 ERA), LHP Rich Hill (9-8, 3.67 ERA), RHP Kenley Jansen (5-0, 1.29 ERA, 37 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 1-2 Pitching probables: Sept. 15: LHP Alex Wood vs. RHP Edwin Jackson, 7:05 p.m., MASN Sept....
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

Opposite dugout: As weather heats up, so have the Dodgers

Opposite dugout: As weather heats up, so have the Dodgers
Manager: Dave Roberts (2nd season) Record: 35-23 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: C Yasmani Grandal (.273 average with 6 HR, 24 RBIs); SS Corey Seager (.271 average with 55 hits); LF Cody Bellinger (12 HR, 31 RBIs); LHP Clayton Kershaw (7-2, 2.28 ERA); RHP Brandon McCarthy (5-2, 3.38 ERA); RHP Kenley Jansen (1.17 ERA with 9 saves). Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (5-1 in 2016) Pitching probables: Monday, June 5: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu, 10:00 p.m., MASNTuesday, June 6:...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

Did the Rockies improve their bullpen enough to compete in NL West?

Did the Rockies improve their bullpen enough to compete in NL West?
The Los Angeles Dodgers will take aim at their fifth consecutive National League West championship, but their biggest rival, the San Francisco Giants, will have something to say about that, especially since they've fixed their leaky bullpen with former Nationals closer Mark Melancon. The surprise team in the division could be the Colorado Rockies. They've beefed up their bullpen and think their rotation is strong enough to allow them to play meaningful games in September. Here's a look at...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

Dreamlike sequence ends with Kershaw, Dodgers advancing to NLCS vs. Cubs

Dreamlike sequence ends with Kershaw, Dodgers advancing to NLCS vs. Cubs
Closer Kenley Jansen, his goggles pushed up on his forehead, sat on the champagne-soaked hallway floor that leads to the Dodgers clubhouse early Friday morning. He was exhausted and trying to put into words what had just happened. "When I saw that Clayton Kershaw was warming up, I said to myself, 'Am I dreaming?' " Jansen said. "It was unbelievable. It was awesome." And it was a game the Dodgers and their will never forget. They beat the Nationals 4-3 in Game 5 of the National League...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

Zimmerman, Rendon and Baker react to late game double-switches

Zimmerman, Rendon and Baker react to late game double-switches
Two of the biggest moves Nationals manager Dusty Baker had to make last night in Game 5 of the National League Division Series to get his lineup order were double-switches that took two of his best hitters out of the lineup. First baseman Ryan Zimmerman was replaced by Clint Robinson in the seventh. Then third baseman Anthony Rendon was replaced by Stephen Drew in the eighth. Rendon struggled in the series with runners in scoring position, leaving four on base in this game. But he did have a...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

Despondent over Game 5 loss, Scherzer understands Baker's decision

Despondent over Game 5 loss, Scherzer understands Baker's decision
Max Scherzer appeared to be cruising along as he pitched six scoreless innings in Game 5 of the National League Division Series. The Nationals were holding a 1-0 lead heading to the top of the seventh. Then everything changed. Joc Pederson got ahold of a 95 mph Scherzer fastball and deposited it over the left-center wall to tie the game at 1-1. Pederson was the final batter Scherzer would face. The Dodgers scored three more runs for a four-run seventh inning. It was enough to lift them to a 4-3...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

Espinosa lifts Nationals to early lead (Dodgers win 4-3, take NLDS 3-2)

Espinosa lifts Nationals to early lead (Dodgers win 4-3, take NLDS 3-2)
Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer benefited from a spectacular diving catch to begin Game 5 of the National League Division Series against the Dodgers. Chase Utley drove a ball deep into the gap of left-center field. Trea Turner raced to his right and dove to make the catch. Scherzer was able to get the next two batters on grounders. For the first time in the NLDS, the Dodgers did not score in the first inning. Scherzer also got the Dodgers 1-2-3 in the second inning. Left-hander Rich Hill...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

District 34 podcast: NLDS Game 5 preview

District 34 podcast: NLDS Game 5 preview
It all comes down to this: Game 5 of the National League Division Series between the Nationals and Dodgers. The winner-take-all game doesn't start until 8 p.m. at Nats Park, so Byron Kerr and I have a preview episode of the District 34 podcast to get you ready for tonight's showdown. With a chance to advance to face the Cubs in the NLCS, the Nationals need just one more over the Dodgers after splitting the first four games of this series. So how did we get here? What have the Nationals done...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

Nats need offense to keep rolling to advance Thursday

Nats need offense to keep rolling to advance Thursday
LOS ANGELES - The Nationals lost Game 4 of the National League Division Series, but their offense showed life again. Despite a 6-5 loss to the Dodgers, the Nationals made a big comeback from being down 5-2 to tie the game at 5-5 in the seventh. In the last three games, the bats have clicked to score 18 runs. Players like Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman, Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, Anthony Rendon, Trea Turner and Danny Espinosa are contributing. Jose Lobaton had a three-run shot in Game 2 that...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

Game 4 begins with back-and-forth early runs (Dodgers win 6-5)

Game 4 begins with back-and-forth early runs (Dodgers win 6-5)
LOS ANGELES - In Game 1 of the National League Division Series, Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw struck out the side. With Kershaw starting Game 4 on three days' rest, the Nationals got off to a much better start. Trea Turner laced the first pitch into left field. Bryce Harper then battled through a nine-pitch at-bat to earn a free pass and put men on first and second with no outs. Daniel Murphy followed with an RBI single to right field and the Nats scored first for the first time in the...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

Baker on how scheduling affects his pitching staff for Game 4 and beyond

Baker on how scheduling affects his pitching staff for Game 4 and beyond
LOS ANGELES - One major theme of this National League Division Series has been scheduling and how it has affected the players, managers and coaching staffs. Major League Baseball eliminated its scheduled off-day Sunday when Game 2 was postponed in Washington, D.C., due to inclement weather on Saturday. Game 2 was rescheduled and played Sunday in blustery conditions at Nationals Park. Both clubs then ventured 2,300 miles to Los Angeles and arrived around 11 p.m. PDT Sunday night. Game 3 was...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

It's Ross vs. Kershaw in Game 4

It's Ross vs. Kershaw in Game 4
We now know who will take the mound for Game 4 of the National League Division Series between the Nationals and Dodgers, set to begin at 5:05 p.m. EDT. Dusty Baker will send out right-hander Joe Ross for his first career postseason start, while Dave Roberts will call upon left-hander Clayton Kershaw on short rest and facing elimination. The Nationals' 8-3 win in Game 3 on Monday not only gave them a 2-1 edge in the best-of-five series, but also gave them flexibility in setting their rotation...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

Nationals offense flexes muscles in 8-3 win over Dodgers

Nationals offense flexes muscles in 8-3 win over Dodgers
LOS ANGELES - The Nationals offense exploded with two big innings in their 8-3 series-altering victory over the Dodgers in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Monday. Jayson Werth, Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman each contributed two RBIs as the Nationals scored four runs in the third and ninth innings. They were the biggest innings the Nationals had ever enjoyed in a postseason game since their return to D.C. in 2005. The four-run ninth inning blew open a tense 4-3 contest for...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

Rendon's big blast leads rally (Nats win 8-3, lead series 2-1)

Rendon's big blast leads rally (Nats win 8-3, lead series 2-1)
LOS ANGELES - The Nationals made Kenta Maeda work in the top of the first but were unable to tally a run to begin Game 3 of the National League Division Series. Jayson Werth singled, and Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon forced walks. With two outs and the bases loaded, Ryan Zimmerman struck out. The Dodgers' Corey Seager gave his club the lead in his first at-bat for the third straight game on the series. Justin Turner walked against lefty Gio Gonzalez with one out in the bottom of the...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

Baker not giving up on Espinosa just yet

Baker not giving up on Espinosa just yet
LOS ANGELES - Shortstop Danny Espinosa has struggled to get on track in the National League Division Series. He is 0-for-5 with a run scored in the first two games of the series. In Game 1, he struck out his first three times up and then popped up to third base. In Game 2, Espinosa was hit by a pitch in each of his first two plate appearances, but then struck out in the sixth and eighth innings. So with five strikeouts in the first two games of the NLDS, manager Dusty Baker was asked if he...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments

NLDS Game 3 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

NLDS Game 3 lineups: Nats at Dodgers
LOS ANGELES - Greetings from Chavez Ravine, where it is an absolutely perfect day for postseason baseball in Southern California. It is expected to be 83 degrees at first pitch at Dodger Stadium. Left-hander Gio Gonzalez is 0-0 with a 3.21 ERA in three playoff starts. In his last matchup against the Giants in 2014, Gonzalez tossed four innings, allowing two unearned runs on four hits with one walk and one strikeout. He made it known Saturday he doesn't want to look back to his up-and-down...
Continue reading
  0 Comments
0 Comments