nationals

Nationals limp home after 3-7 road trip

August 20, 2015, 8:23pm

After scoring 15 runs in the opener, the Nationals managed to plate just two in the series finale as the Rockies prevented a sweep with a 3-2 win Thursday night. With the loss, the Nats wasted a prime opportunity to gain a half-game on the Mets, who were off tonight. Despite claiming just their third series win of the second half, the Nationals' detrimental road trip ends with a 3-7 mark. Shut out three times out west, the Nats found themselves trailing 2-0 in the seventh when Michael A....

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper chris johnson matt williams max scherzer michael a. taylor nationals nationals pastime featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

Fedde has solid outing for Hagerstown, Hearn shows upside for Auburn

August 20, 2015, 7:16pm

Nationals

Fedde has solid outing for Hagerstown, Hearn shows upside for Auburn

Right-hander Erick Fedde has made a positive first step this season as he rebounds from Tommy John surgery. The 22-year-old UNLV product was the Nationals' first-round selection in 2014 and then immediately had the ligament replacement procedure. Although Fedde gave up six runs in his first low Single-A start on Aug. 11, he did quite well in his most recent outing, not allowing a run over 4 2/3 innings innings as Hagerstown lost to Hickory 3-2 in 11 innings. Fedde allowed only four hits and...

Comments

Tags:

auburn doubledays byron kerr erick fedde gary cathcart hagerstown suns nationals taylor hearn frontstory_nationals2 nationals farm report

A healthy Stephen Strasburg proves dominance

August 19, 2015, 10:17pm

Nationals

A healthy Stephen Strasburg proves dominance

Stephen Strasburg watched the Nationals and Rockies combine for 21 runs on 28 hits, including four homers on Tuesday night. He entered Wednesday's start having lost his only two outings at Coors Field, dinged with a 5.56 ERA. But the talented right-hander blocked all of that out as he blitzed the Rockies lineup with a blazing, high-90s fastball, a baffling changeup and a filthy curveball in the Nationals' 4-1 win. The Rockies combined an error and a wild pitch to score an unearned run off...

Comments

Tags:

chris johnson jayson werth jonathan papelbon matt willams nationals nationals pastime stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Nationals game blog: Ryan Zimmerman feasting on Rockies pitching

August 20, 2015, 4:10pm

Nationals

With the Mets idle tonight, the Nationals look to finish off a sweep over the Rockies and gain a half-game in the race for the National League East crown. The Nationals took the first two games of the series in very different fashion. After pouring in 15 runs on Tuesday night, the Nats were held scoreless until Bryce Harper raced home on a wild pitch in the seventh last night. A two-run triple from Jayson Werth a frame later broke a tie and helped the Nats to a 4-1 victory. "These games are...

Comments

Tags:

chris johnson jayson werth max scherzer nationals nationals pastime ryan zimmerman frontstory_nationals1

Nats gain ground as Jayson Werth delivers late

August 19, 2015, 8:48pm

Nationals

Nats gain ground as Jayson Werth delivers late

A night after lighting up the scoreboard, the Nationals' offense fell asleep for most of Wednesday's game. With the game knotted at 1-1 with two outs in the eighth, Jayson Werth woke them up, thumping a two-run triple to propel the Nats to a 4-1 win over the Rockies. "I'm just trying to be aggressive," Werth said on MASN's "Nats Xtra". "Things haven't really been going as planned. I'm just glad to help the team get a win. Big win for us." The timing of Werth's clutch hit couldn't...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper chris johnson jayson werth nationals nationals pastime stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Max Scherzer looks to rebound for series sweep (with lineups)

August 20, 2015, 1:33pm

Nationals

Max Scherzer looks to rebound for series sweep (with lineups)

For much of this season, Max Scherzer was the game's most imposing right-hander, tossing a no-hitter and one-hitter in consecutive games. But Scherzer has come back to earth in August. He's 0-1 with a 7.80 ERA while surrendering five home runs over three starts this month. Scherzer takes the hill tonight aiming to correct his recent troubles and claim the Nationals' first series sweep since July 3-5 over the Giants. The 31-year-old fanned 10 Rockies over six innings but was tagged for three...

Comments

Tags:

anthony rendon chris johnson max scherzer nationals nationals pastime ryan zimmerman frontfeatured_nationals

David Huzzard: Nationals need a hot streak

August 20, 2015, 6:59am

Nationals

With the Nationals' 4-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday evening, they won back-to-back games for the first time since July 29 and 30. It was also the first series that the Nats have won in the month of August. The Nats' recent cold stretch has put them in an unfamiliar position. In 2012 and 2014, I wrote this same column about what it would take to overtake the Nationals, and now the Nats are the team hoping to overtake the Mets. The good thing for the Nationals is that the...

Comments

Tags:

david huzzard guest blogger guestblogger nationals nationals buzz

Stephen Strasburg dominant in 4-1 win

August 19, 2015, 5:39pm

Nationals

An error and wild pitch led to the Rockies' first run of game. With one out, Ben Paulsen hit a sharp grounder down the first base line. Ryan Zimmerman shifted to his left but the ball skipped over his glove and into right field. Paulsen hustled to second on Zimmerman's third error of the season. D.J. LeMahieu's groundout advanced Paulsen to third. With Nick Hundley batting, Stephen Strasburg bounced a curveball that jumped away from Wilson Ramos. The Nats catcher hustled to the ball, but his...

Comments

Tags:

chris johnson ian desmond nationals nationals pastime ryan zimmerman stephen strasburg wilson ramos frontstory_nationals3

Reetz, 19, has "intangibles" to become one of the top catchers in Nats system

August 19, 2015, 6:59pm

Nationals

Reetz, 19, has "intangibles" to become one of the top catchers in Nats system

Catching prospect, 19-year-old Jakson Reetz, continues to gain experience at the professional level with the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays in the Nationals system. Auburn manager Gary Cathcart, who is also the Nationals coordinator of instruction, said Reetz truly is a baseball player who shows he has all the makeup to be a good one. Cathcart said Reetz just needs the repetition of game experience while playing at the top levels. Reetz, a 2014 third-round selection, has that baseball...

Comments

Tags:

auburn doubledays byron kerr gary cathcart gulf coast nationals jakson reetz michael barrett nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Anthony Rendon sits, Danny Espinosa starts again (with lineups)

August 19, 2015, 2:19pm

Nationals

Anthony Rendon sits, Danny Espinosa starts again (with lineups)

Other than slotting Stephen Strasburg in as tonight's starter, Nationals manager Matt Williams didn't touch his lineup card from last night, a lineup that produced 15 runs. That means Jayson Werth remains the leadoff hitter and Anthony Rendon sits for the second consecutive night while Danny Espinosa starts at second base. Espinosa was 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored in last night's win. He's hitting .385 (5-for-13) with two homers and four RBIs in six games...

Comments

Tags:

chris johnson danny espinosa ian desmond jayson werth nationals nationals pastime ryan zimmerman stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman break out with a big night

August 18, 2015, 10:44pm

Nationals

Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman break out with a big night

Searching for a way to ignite his slumping offense and jumpstart his grizzled veteran's season, Nationals manager Matt Williams opted to pencil in Jayson Werth in the leadoff spot Tuesday night. For one night, the move delivered, with Werth ripping a double and a single, drawing a walk and scoring all three times he reached base in the Nationals' 15-6 win over the Rockies in the series opener. "It's comfortable for him, he's been there before," Williams told reporters. "He's a good run...

Comments

Tags:

chris johnson ian desmond jayson werth matt williams nationals nationals pastime ryan zimmerman featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Tyler Clippard reflects on being traded as Mets make postseason push

August 19, 2015, 5:11pm

Nationals

Tyler Clippard reflects on being traded as Mets make postseason push

Mets relief pitcher Tyler Clippard remembers the first thought that ran through his mind July 27 when he was told that he had been traded from Oakland to New York. "My first thought was, 'OK, I'll have to figure out how to get all my stuff moved,'" Clippard said. "I was thinking, 'What time do I have to be there?' 'When should I go?'" His second thought was baseball. He knew he was going to be in a battle for the National League East with his former team, the Nationals, a team that...

Comments

Tags:

frontstory_nationals4 mel antonen mets nationals tyler clippard

Nationals game blog: Stephen Strasburg aims to foil Rockies

August 19, 2015, 4:33pm

Nationals

The Nationals snapped their six-game losing streak, scoring a whopping 15 runs, in last night's win over the Rockies. It was the eighth time the Nats scored 10 or more runs this season. Ian Desmond continued swinging a hot bat, going 3-for-6 with a double and four RBIs. In his last 27 games, Desmond is slashing .313/.376/.606 with eight homers, three doubles, one triple, 19 runs scored and 21 RBIs. Desmond is hitting .436 in 19 career games at Coors Field. Bryce Harper walked a career-high...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper chris johnson ian desmond nationals nationals pastime stephen strasburg frontstory_nationals1

Losing streak ends with offensive explosion

August 18, 2015, 9:18pm

Nationals

Losing streak ends with offensive explosion

It wasn't pretty for a while, but the Nationals finally took advantage of Coors Field to put an end to their six-game losing skid with a lopsided 15-6 win over the Rockies. With the Mets beating the Orioles 5-3, the Nats needed this seesaw battle to tip in their favor just to remain within 4 1/2 games of the lead in the National League East. "We came out offensively and had a good approach tonight," Nationals manager Matt Williams said to reporters. "This ballpark, you never know. Six...

Comments

Tags:

chris johnson ian desmond jayson werth matt williams nationals nationals pastime yunel escobar featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Max Scherzer to host fantasy football draft, launch Big League Impact DC

August 17, 2015, 7:51am

Nationals

Max Scherzer to host fantasy football draft, launch Big League Impact DC

Are you ready for some football? While the Nationals have 44 baseball games left to play, pitcher Max Scherzer and some of his teammates are preparing for the upcoming National Football League season like the rest of us by holding a fantasy football draft. But this isn't just for a cash prize, a little trophy or bragging rights among friends. This type of fantasy football has a much bigger impact. Scherzer has joined Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright's Big League Impact charity to launch Big...

Comments

Tags:

big league impact big league impact dc bobby blanco fantasy football max scherzer nationals nationals buzz featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Rachel Levitin: Nats' expectations clashing with stark reality

August 19, 2015, 5:46am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Nats' expectations clashing with stark reality

When it comes to professional sports, looking good on paper can be deceiving when weighed against the actions of a team in any given season. This is what seems to be plaguing the Nationals in 2015. Two division titles in three years and the Nats are struggling to paw their way back to the top of the National League East and dethrone the New York Mets before time runs out on the regular season. And while wins like last night's 15-6 blowout victory against the Rockies in Colorado are nice to see...

Comments

Tags:

guest blogger guestblogger nationals nationals buzz rachel levitin

Nats offense wakes up in 15-6 win

August 18, 2015, 4:55pm

Nationals

In the leadoff spot for the first time this year, Jayson Werth flew out to right to start the game. After striking out Danny Espinosa, Rockies starter David Hale walked Bryce Harper. Yunel Escobar then tangled with Hale in an eight-pitch battle, finally making the right-hander pay with a two-run homer drilled to right-center field. It was Escobar's ninth home run of the season. The Rockies answered quicky in the bottom of the frame. Jose Reyes legged out an infield single on a slow bouncer to...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper chris johnson jordan zimmermann nationals nationals pastime yunel escobar featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Jayson Werth leading off (with lineups)

August 18, 2015, 1:36pm

Nationals

After a day off to regroup, the Nationals open the final series of their 10-game road trip against the Rockies tonight. Washington comes in losers of their past six, hitting .179 and averaging just two runs per game as a team over the slide. In the absence of Denard Span, Nationals manager Matt Williams continues searching for a leadoff hitter. Left fielder Jayson Werth tops Williams' batting order against Rockies right-hander David Hale tonight. Werth was featured in the leadoff spot for 38...

Comments

Tags:

chris johnson danny espinosa jayson werth jordan zimmermann matt williams nationals nationals pastime frontstory_nationals3

Report: Doug Harris could be a front-runner for Milwaukee GM job

August 17, 2015, 6:40pm

Nationals

Report: Doug Harris could be a front-runner for Milwaukee GM job

There appears to be some Nationals-related buzz brewing in Milwaukee, where there is a vacancy for the Brewers' general manager position. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote Sunday that Nationals assistant general manager and vice president of player development and pro scouting Doug Harris is a front-runner for the vacancy created when Doug Melvin stepped down after 13 seasons earlier this month. "(Harris) could emerge as the front-runner for the GM job in Milwaukee," Cafardo wrote....

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr doug harris lucas giolito nationals reynaldo lopez featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Nationals game blog: Nats need Jordan Zimmermann to be the stopper

August 18, 2015, 4:18pm

Nationals

The Nationals limp into Denver after being booted out of L.A. and San Francisco on this disastrous 10-game road trip. The numbers are terrible: .179 team batting average over a six-game losing streak, which includes three shutouts, and starting pitchers unable to pitch out of the fifth inning in four of the six defeats. Time to throw them all out of the window. With 45 games remaining and trailing the first place Mets by 4 1/2 games, these Nats must begin their turnaround tonight against the...