nationals

Game 69 lineups: Nats at Mets

June 18, 2017, 7:21am

NEW YORK - The Nationals turn to right-hander Joe Ross as they look for the four-game sweep of division-rival New York Mets. Ross has been the beneficiary of 85 runs in his eight starts this season. He has enjoyed an average of 11.34 runs of support per game. The Mets go to right-hander Jacob deGrom to salvage the final game of the series. He is 5-3 with a 4.33 ERA. Right-hander A.J. Cole is available after right-hander Shawn Kelley was put on the disabled list with a right trapezius...

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Kelley to disabled list again, Cole called up from Syracuse

June 18, 2017, 6:16am

Nationals

Kelley to disabled list again, Cole called up from Syracuse

NEW YORK - The Nationals have recalled right-hander A.J. Cole and placed right-hander Shawn Kelley on the 10-day disabled list with a right trapezius strain. The move is retroactive to June 17. Kelley pitched in Friday's game, but his fastball velocity was way down to 88 mph and manager Dusty Baker said Kelley felt "tightness" in his neck. He said Saturday that Kelley was unlikely to pitch in that day's game. Now the club has returned Kelley to the disabled list for the second time this...

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Trea Turner on bunting: "Get in there and battle"

June 17, 2017, 1:17pm

Nationals

Trea Turner on bunting: "Get in there and battle"

NEW YORK - In the top of the seventh Friday night at Citi Field, Trea Turner grounded out softly to pitcher Steven Matz, who threw to first base to record the second out of the inning. Earlier in the at-bat, Turner attempted to bunt until the count got to two strikes. It was a rare play that had Turner bunting. The Nationals usually use power to score runs (106 homers and counting as of Saturday afternoon). They are a club that doesn't rely on small ball as much as other teams might need...

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Lobaton and Romero heroes in Nats' 7-4 win over Mets

June 17, 2017, 4:56pm

Nationals

Lobaton and Romero heroes in Nats' 7-4 win over Mets

NEW YORK - Jose Lobaton broke out a recent slump and the bullpen helped out Stephen Strasburg this time around in a 7-4 series-clinching victory before 38,059 at Citi Field on Saturday. Strasburg was only able to finish 5 1/3 innings, but he kept the Mets at bay, allowing only two runs. Then, the bullpen was able to take over. The much maligned bullpen surrendered only two runs over 4 2/3 innings to keep the Nationals in front. Manager Dusty Baker was proud of his releivers, who have struggled...

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Kelley feeling tightness in neck, Baker details lineup strategy

June 17, 2017, 10:59am

Nationals

Kelley feeling tightness in neck, Baker details lineup strategy

NEW YORK - Nationals right-handed reliever Shawn Kelley pitched the ninth inning in Friday's 7-2 victory over the Mets, allowing a solo homer to Jay Bruce. He then managed to induce two outfield flyouts and a groundout to third base to end the game. But it certainly wasn't an easy three outs for the veteran. Last year, Kelley was hitting around 93-94 mph on his fastball. Last night, the velocity was dropping to 88-90 mph and touching 91. His slider was around 78-80 mph. Manager Dusty Baker...

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Nats ride home runs again for early lead (Nats win 7-4)

June 17, 2017, 12:45pm

Nationals

Nats ride home runs again for early lead (Nats win 7-4)

NEW YORK - The Nationals' big bats do it again with an early strike. Trea Turner led off the game with a solo homer over the left field wall to stake the Nats to a 1-0 lead. It was his seventh longball and third leadoff homer of the season. The blast came on a 1-0 offering from Mets starter Seth Lugo, and was Turner's fifth leadoff homer of his career. In the second, Lugo struck out Adam Lind and Michael A. Taylor. But Jose Lobaton slammed a solo homer in the second level in right field,...

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Game 68 lineups: Nats at Mets

June 17, 2017, 8:39am

Nationals

NEW YORK - Right-hander Stephen Strasburg looks to provide the Nationals with a series win at Citi Field in today's late afternoon matchup. Strasburg has a 7-4 record with a 2.64 ERA against the Mets in 13 career starts. Despite winning the first five games this season against the Mets at Citi Field, Friday's winning pitcher Max Scherzer is taking nothing for granted in the National League East race. "It doesn't matter," Scherzer said of the 10-plus-game lead over the Mets. "They're too...

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Nats' instant offense too much for Mets to handle

June 16, 2017, 7:50pm

Nationals

Nats' instant offense too much for Mets to handle

NEW YORK - Back-to-back homers opened the scoring for the Nationals on their way to a 7-2 win over the Mets at Citi Field on Friday night. Matt Wieters and Michael A. Taylor went back-to-back off Mets left-hander Steven Matz to lead off the third, and the Nats led 2-0. Anthony Rendon smacked a two-run shot off of Matz in the sixth. Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman contributed RBI singles in a three-run ninth inning. The back-to-back homers marked the sixth time this season the Nationals had...

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Scherzer shakes off early command issues, rolls to another 10-K win

June 16, 2017, 7:28pm

Nationals

Scherzer shakes off early command issues, rolls to another 10-K win

NEW YORK - Max Scherzer continued his almost unbeatable consistency tonight with eight strong innings in a 7-2 victory over the Mets at Citi Field. Scherzer allowed only a late solo homer from JosÃ© Reyes and three other hits, striking out 10 for the fifth consecutive start to improve to 8-4. Scherzer reached a season-high 118 pitches, 84 for strikes, and benefited from a career-high-tying three groundball double plays to erase big scoring opportunities for the Mets. The Nationals opened the...

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Baker on Jackson, SolÃs and Scherzer

June 16, 2017, 2:11pm

Nationals

NEW YORK - The Nationals signed veteran right-hander Edwin Jackson to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Syracuse. Jackson adds experienced depth to the pitching in the system. He pitched for the Nationals in 2012, going 10-11 with a 4.76 ERA in 31 starts. He had 168 strikeouts, 58 walks and recorded one complete game. Since then, he has pitched for the Cubs, Braves, Marlins, Padres and Orioles. The Orioles designated him for assignment five days ago. The Nats signed him...

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Back-to-back homers help Scherzer early (Nats win 7-2)

June 16, 2017, 3:53pm

Nationals

Back-to-back homers help Scherzer early (Nats win 7-2)

NEW YORK - After a quiet first two innings, the Nats ignited the offense again with the long ball in the third. Matt Wieters and Michael A. Taylor hit back-to-back homers off of left-hander Steven Matz. Wieters hit his sixth of the season over the left-center field wall. Taylor hit his eighth, an opposite-field jobber over the right field wall near the foul pole. It marked the sixth time this season the Nats have gone back-to-back - the last time June 13 against the Braves, when Ryan Zimmerman...

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Game 67 lineups: Nats at Mets

June 16, 2017, 11:48am

Nationals

NEW YORK - The Nationals are well ahead in the National League East due in large part to their ability to win on the road. Their 22-12 (.647) record on the road puts the Nats second only to the Rockies (25-13, .658) in the National League. Their 40-26 (.606) overall record is currently fourth-best in the National League behind the Rockies (43-26, .623), Dodgers (41-26, .612) and Diamondbacks (41-26, .612). "It's fun going on the road and playing," said Bryce Harper. "That's when you know...

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Murphy good against the Mets again, so what else is new?

June 16, 2017, 7:14am

Nationals

Murphy good against the Mets again, so what else is new?

NEW YORK - Daniel Murphy returned to Citi Field again in his second season with the Nationals and delivered again. Murphy had a two-run triple that highlighted a five-run fifth inning outburst as the Nats won for the fourth time in a row in Flushing this season. The boo birds cascaded down on Murphy during his first few at-bat intros, similar to the treatment Bryce Harper receives on the road. It really can be received as a sign of respect for Murphy, who was the National League Championship...

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Bryce Harper's line-drive homer to begin game was one to remember

June 15, 2017, 7:33pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper's line-drive homer to begin game was one to remember

NEW YORK - Bryce Harper went 1-for-4 in the Nationals' 8-3 lid-lifting win over the Mets at Citi field. But that one hit. Goodness gracious. Manager Dusty Baker said that home run from Harper was one to remember. "Yeah, that wasn't a moonshot," Baker said. "That was like a Hank Aaron shot. That was like a high line drive. It didn't (take) any time. As soon as he hit it, you knew that ball was out. So it just shows you, like Hank used to say, it's not far, it's how many. And he hit the...

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Wieters and Murphy calm Gonzalez, offense takes over in 8-3 win

June 15, 2017, 7:16pm

Nationals

Wieters and Murphy calm Gonzalez, offense takes over in 8-3 win

NEW YORK - The offense and Gio Gonzalez have been consistent this season as the Nationals built a big lead against the Mets and the rest of the National League East. Both constants were evident Thursday as the Nats took down the Mets 8-3 in the opener of a four-game series, winning for the fourth straight time at Citi Field. The Nats' five-run fifth inning - highlighted by a two-run triple from Daniel Murphy and a two-run homer from Michael A. Taylor - chased Mets starter Robert...

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David Huzzard: What will a closer cost the Nationals?

June 15, 2017, 6:14pm

Nationals

Believe it or not, the Nationals don't have the worst bullpen in the majors. That isn't to forgive or forget just how bad the bullpen has been and how many leads they've blown, or that with even a league-average bullpen the Mets' recent hot streak wouldn't matter one bit. It is simply a fact. The Nats don't have the worst bullpen in the majors and it is going to cause them major issues when the trade deadline comes around. By ERA, the Twins have the worst bullpen in the majors at 5.39....

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Harper's early home run helps Gonzalez (Nats win 8-3)

June 15, 2017, 3:46pm

Nationals

Harper's early home run helps Gonzalez (Nats win 8-3)

NEW YORK - Left-hander Gio Gonzalez is 9-1 with a 1.62 ERA in 14 lifetime starts at Citi Field. The ERA is the lowest by any opposing pitcher ever at the Mets' home. Gonzalez's 87 strikeouts are the most on any opponent's home field in his career. The Mets went three up, three down in the first. In the second, the Mets' T.J. Rivera connected on a one-out single. But Gonzalez got Lucas Duda to ground out right in front of home plate and RenÃ© Rivera flew out to center field. The Nationals...

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Updates on Grace, Solis, Blanton and Mets series

June 15, 2017, 2:49pm

Nationals

Updates on Grace, Solis, Blanton and Mets series

NEW YORK - Manager Dusty Baker said the main reason the Nationals sent right-hander Trevor Gott back to Triple-A Syracuse today and brought up left-hander Matt Grace was the taxing outings Gott had to endure over the past two games. "The bullpen move was precipitated by the fact (Gott) had gone two innings yesterday and threw 50 and he had thrown the day before, and actually went longer than we wanted him to," Baker said. "But I told you yesterday was about bullpen preservation after about...

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Weekend series in New York suddenly looms large for Nationals

June 15, 2017, 4:15am

Nationals

The Nationals have led the National League East division for all but three days this season, every day since April 16. And they've led the division by at least seven games every day since May 13. That's about as comfortable as it gets this early in the baseball calendar. And yet this weekend the Nationals find themselves facing a sudden and surprising big series in New York. The Mets, who have been beset with injuries and all other sorts of calamities in the season's first 2 1/2 months,...

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Game 66 lineups: Nationals at Mets

June 15, 2017, 11:45am

Nationals

NEW YORK - Greetings from the Big Apple! The Nationals arrive in Flushing losers of five of their last seven, while the Mets have won five their last six. The Nats' lead over the Mets stands at 8 1/2 games. Left-hander Gio Gonzalez looks to improve on his outstanding start to the season - he's already 5-1 with a 2.91 ERA. Gonzalez beat the Mets 3-1 here April 22, 3-1. He went 6 1/3 innings, allowing only one run on two hits with three walks and six strikeouts. The Mets counter with...