nationals

Ramos said 2011 video of his swing fueled Tuesday's game-winning hit

August 04, 2015, 8:09pm

When a losing streak starts to pile up, one inevitable reoccurrence in almost every game is an inability to produce that clutch hit. Mired in a four-game slump, the Nationals needed someone to step up a deliver a game-changing hit. Enter catcher Wilson Ramos, who had already produced a walk and a base hit in three earlier at-bats in the game. With men on second and third and one out in the bottom of the eighth and the score tied at 3-3, Ramos blooped a single over the first baseman Paul...

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Nats get gritty performance from Max Scherzer in 5-4 win

August 04, 2015, 8:24pm

Nationals

Nats get gritty performance from Max Scherzer in 5-4 win

The Nationals offense came out of the gates quick, fell asleep for a couple hours and then awakened just in time to beat the Diamondbacks 5-4 to remain one game behind in the National League East race. Yunel Escobar smacked his second leadoff homer of the year to get things going in the first. A base knock from Anthony Rendon and a blistered double from Bryce Harper then set up an RBI single from Ryan Zimmerman and a run-producing groundout from Jayson Werth. Normally that would be enough...

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Wilson Ramos delivers in clutch, Nats win 5-4

August 04, 2015, 4:11pm

Nationals

Wilson Ramos delivers in clutch, Nats win 5-4

Yunel Escobar wasted no time helping the Nationals offense get on the board tonight. Escobar launched a 1-1 fastball off Diamondbacks starter Patrick Corbin over the center field wall for his second leadoff homer of the season. The hit parade continued with a single to center from Anthony Rendon followed by a scorched double to right by Bryce Harper. Ryan Zimmerman's drilled liner to left scored Rendon as the Nationals began the game with four straight hits. Jayson Werth added an RBI on a...

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Stephen Strasburg appears ready to return to mound for Nats (game started)

August 04, 2015, 2:12pm

Nationals

Stephen Strasburg appears ready to return to mound for Nats (game started)

Stephen Strasburg appears ready to rejoin the Nationals rotation. The right-hander made what's expected to be his final minor league rehab start last night for Triple-A Syracuse. Strasburg tossed 85 pitches over 5 2/3 innings, yielding two runs on five hits while striking out 11 without a walk. "I felt good," said Strasburg, who has been on the 15-day disabled list since July 5 with a strained left oblique. "My stuff is there. Just try to keep doing the same things and working on the stuff...

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Nationals game blog: Nats need former Diamondback Max Scherzer to be their stopper tonight

August 04, 2015, 1:55pm

Nationals

The Nationals and Diamondbacks play Game 2 of their four-game series tonight at Nationals Park. This is the game blog. You've come to the right place. The Nationals have lost four in a row, their longest losing streak since they dropped six dating back to April 27. They need Max Scherzer to be their stopper tonight. He is 11-8 with a 2.22 ERA. This is his third meeting against his former team. Scherzer is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in a pair of starts versus Arizona. Scherzer is 4-5 with a 2.70 ERA...

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Williams hopes to blend returning players with substitutes

August 04, 2015, 12:54pm

Nationals

Williams hopes to blend returning players with substitutes

Nationals manager Matt Williams provided an update on the returns of Anthony Rendon (quad), Jayson Werth (wrist) and Ryan Zimmerman (foot). All three starters got back in the lineup during last week's 10-game road trip. Rendon returned July 25 and has eight hits in his last nine games with two doubles, a homer and three RBIs. "Anthony I think is fine," Williams said. "He was able to continue to hit during his DL stint. So that helps." Williams pointed to how Rendon and Zimmerman were able...

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Offensive funk continues for Nats in four-game slide

August 04, 2015, 4:39am

Nationals

Offensive funk continues for Nats in four-game slide

No one would argue that the Nationals haven't faced some of the game's most imposing arms since the All-Star break - Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Gerrit Cole, Jacob deGrom - but Arizona's Zack Godley doesn't fall into that category. Yet the unheralded rookie baffled the Nats lineup Monday night, tossing six scoreless innings while yielding just three singles with six strikeouts in only his third major league start. "We're going through a spell right now where we're not scoring many...

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Nationals looking ahead after falling to second place; Strasburg 11 K in second rehab start

August 03, 2015, 6:53pm

Nationals

With the 6-4 loss Monday to the Diamondbacks and the Mets 12-1 shellacking of the Marlins, the Nationals fell to second place in the National League East for the first time since June 19. After the game, manager Matt Williams said his concern is about Tuesday's game. "It can all change tomorrow," Williams said. "It's about tomorrow's game. We can be back where we want to be tomorrow. We'll have to play well. We'll have to beat those guys in the other dugout. At this point, feels like...

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Can Max Scherzer be the stopper? (with lineups)

August 04, 2015, 11:44am

Nationals

Can Max Scherzer be the stopper? (with lineups)

The Nationals haven't won since Max Scherzer took the mound last Thursday. The right-hander spun another gem, throwing seven scoreless innings with six strikeouts in a 1-0 shutout in Miami. Tonight, they'll lean on their ace as they attempt to end a four-game losing skid, which has left them outside of the playoff picture looking in. The Diamondbacks send left-hander Patrick Corbin to the hill for his sixth start since coming off Tommy John surgery. The 26-year-old has been tough, yielding...

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Sinking Nats fall out of first place while Fister's inconsistent season continues

August 03, 2015, 7:22pm

Nationals

Sinking Nats fall out of first place while Fister's inconsistent season continues

For the third straight night, a Nationals starter ran into trouble with the longball. This time it was the Diamondbacks shelling Doug Fister for three homers as the Nationals fell out of first place in the National League East for the first time since June 19 with a 6-4 loss. "(I'm) continuing to work through some of the trials that I've got," Fister said. "Just not executing every one of them. That's my biggest downfall right now is I've got to be more consistent. I started out OK and...

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Matt of Matt's Bats: Looking at Michael A. Taylor's contributions to the Nats

August 04, 2015, 5:30am

Nationals

Matt of Matt's Bats: Looking at Michael A. Taylor's contributions to the Nats

The Washington Nationals are in a tough position right now, having just been swept by the New York Mets to give up sole possession of first place in the National League East and they got blasted to smithereens by the Diamondbacks. The Mets blasted the Marlins too, and now the Mets are up one game. Aside from making the next two months of baseball really competitive and fun to watch, there is some good news for Nats fans. The injuries that haunted the team have mostly healed, and now the Nats...

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Diamondbacks bomb Fister, Nats lose 6-4

August 03, 2015, 3:45pm

Nationals

Doug Fister rolled through the first two innings facing the minimum batters. With one out in the third, Fister fell behind 3-1, and then left a sinker out over the plate and Nick Ahmed pummeled it deep over the wall in left-center field. The solo shot was Ahmed's seventh homer of the year and the tenth longball allowed by Fister. The Nationals are still looking for their first base runner against Diamondbacks rookie right-hander Zack Godley. Update: A.J. Pollock singled to center to start the...

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Williams updates Span, Carpenter and Werth in preparation for Arizona

August 03, 2015, 1:27pm

Nationals

Williams updates Span, Carpenter and Werth in preparation for Arizona

The Nationals have been able to get pretty close to what they envisioned as their opening day lineup but are still waiting on center fielder Denard Span. Anthony Rendon, Ryan Zimmerman and Jayson Werth are the latest injured starters to return. But Span has now missed 20 games since back tightness forced him to the disabled list July 7. Manager Matt Williams updated Span's status during pregame for the opening matchup this week against the Diamondbacks. "He's feeling good," Williams said....

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Doug Fister looks to build momentum on the mound (with lineups)

August 03, 2015, 12:23pm

Nationals

Doug Fister looks to build momentum on the mound (with lineups)

Fresh off one of his better performances of the season, veteran right-hander Doug Fister looks to build some momentum tonight against the Diamondbacks at Nationals Park. Fister tossed six strong innings last Wednesday in Miami, allowing two runs on four hits with four strikeouts to claim the win. The Diamondbacks send rookie right-hander Zack Godley to the hill for his third career start. Godley, who made his major league debut on July 24, is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA. With Godley on the mound, the...

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Nationals game blog: Nats hope home cooking will end losing streak

August 03, 2015, 2:17pm

Nationals

Game blog! Our first game blog at home this season. It's a special moment. Don't hesitate to ask me a question about the Nats as we cruise along tonight. The Nationals are looking to end a three-game losing streak, after getting swept in New York over the weekend by the Mets, as they play host to the Arizona Diamondbacks. One way to stop all the talk about the pitching and what they need to do is to generate some offense. The Nationals have managed six total runs in their last four...

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Nats hoping comforts of home lead to more runs

August 03, 2015, 9:03am

Nationals

Nats hoping comforts of home lead to more runs

The Nationals return to the comforts of their home ballpark tonight after a long 3-7 road trip over the past 11 days. They battled top flight pitching throughout the journey beginning with the likes Francisco Liriano and Gerrit Cole in Pittsburgh and finishing off with hot-shot young arms Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard in New York. Despite Anthony Rendon, Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman rejoining the team on the trip after long stints on the DL, the offense continues to sputter,...

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Trea Turner exceeding expectations in Syracuse, continuing whirlwind season

August 03, 2015, 6:31am

Nationals

Trea Turner exceeding expectations in Syracuse, continuing whirlwind season

Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs shortstop Trea Turner is ranked as the No. 9 overall prospect in the mid-season Baseball America updated list. Turner has played 34 games with the Chiefs after playing 68 games in Double-A, 10 of those with the Harrisburg Senators. Syracuse Chiefs play-by-play broadcaster Kevin Brown joined me Sunday on "Nats Insider" on 106.7 The Fan and quoted a familiar refrain when discussing Turner's abilities. "Trea has been so much fun to watch," Brown said. "Nationals fans...

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Opposite dugout: Lack of ace has kept D-backs mediocre and out of playoff hunt

August 02, 2015, 6:52pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Lack of ace has kept D-backs mediocre and out of playoff hunt

Manager: Chip Hale (1st season) Record: 50-53 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: 1B Paul Goldschmidt (.342/.458/.592 with 22 HR, 77 RBIs), CF A.J. Pollock (.305/.361/.465 with 11 HR, 45 RBIs), LF David Peralta (.281/.351/.493 with 9 HR, 48 RBIs), RHP Rubby De La Rosa (8-5, 4.59 ERA), RHP Brad Ziegler (18 saves, 1.18 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 1-2 Pitching probables: Aug. 3: RHP Zack Godley vs. RHP Doug Fister, 7:05 p.m., MASN Aug. 4: LHP Patrick Corbin vs. RHP Max Scherzer, 7:05 p.m., MASN...

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No panicking for Nats after being swept out of New York

August 02, 2015, 8:28pm

Nationals

No panicking for Nats after being swept out of New York

FLUSHING, N.Y. - After a disastrous weekend in New York, the Nationals find themselves deadlocked atop the division and in a dogfight with the Mets for the remaining two months of the season. The finale unraveled in a flash for Jordan Zimmermann. The Mets unloaded with three homers off the right-hander in the third inning as New York went on to sweep the Nationals with a 5-2 win. To make matters worse, all the damage came with two outs against Zimmermann. Curtis Granderson started the assault,...

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Strasburg making second rehab start Monday (updates on Turner, Robles, Voth, Bleier and more)

August 01, 2015, 2:40am

Nationals

Strasburg making second rehab start Monday (updates on Turner, Robles, Voth, Bleier and more)

Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs shortstop Trea Turner has seven hits in his last five games. He is hitting .256 over his last 10 games but .316 overall for the season. Turner had a 3-for-5 day on July 30 and went 2-for-5 on July 27. To get a better measure of how good of a hitter Turner is capable of being is to view how he did in the month of July with Syracuse. In 27 games, Turner hit .340 (34-for-100) with three doubles, three triples, two homers, 11 RBI, eight walks, seven stolen bases and 17 runs...