nationals

Joe Ross knocked out in fifth, Nats lose 5-0

August 11, 2015, 8:11pm

Rookie Joe Ross is battling control issues for the first time in the big leagues. The right-hander entered tonight's game with just four walks in his seven starts in the majors. He had never walked more than one in a game. Tonight, Ross issued back-to-back walks to Andre Ethier and Yasmani Grandal to start the second. But Ross settled down and retired the next three Dodgers in order in escape the early jam. Ross wasn't as lucky in the fourth. Ethier lifted a changeup to the gap in left-center...

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Bryce Harper scratched, Clint Robinson starts (with lineups)

August 11, 2015, 3:48pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper scratched, Clint Robinson starts (with lineups)

The Nationals get their second crack at Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke tonight. The National League All-Star starter handcuffed the Nationals in D.C. on July 19, striking out a season-high 11 while yielding just three hits over eight scoreless innings in the Dodgers' 5-0 shutout win. Greinke's 1.71 ERA is still the best in the majors, but he was tagged for six runs in six innings in his last outing in Philadelphia on Thursday. Nationals right-hander Joe Ross is set to make his eighth start...

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Nationals game blog: Ryan Zimmerman looks to continue hot streak

August 11, 2015, 5:43pm

Nationals

The Nationals will face Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke without the services of Bryce Harper. Harper, the National League's home run leader, was scratched from tonight's lineup with soreness in his left knee. The Dodgers have lost four straight, not winning since Greinke last took the mound on Aug. 6 in Philadelphia. Greinke, the NL's Cy Young favorite, had his worst start of the year that night, surrendering six runs over six innings while taking his 11th win of the season. Nationals...

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18-year-old Dominican outfielder Victor Robles shining for Auburn

August 10, 2015, 10:52pm

Nationals

18-year-old Dominican outfielder Victor Robles shining for Auburn

A lot of buzz has been generated by the start for 18-year-old Dominican outfielder Victor Robles, who moved quickly from the Dominican Summer League Nats to the Gulf Coast League and is now playing for the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays. Robles has hit .342 in his last 10 games and is batting .363 overall in 44 minor league games. I checked in with Auburn manager Gary Cathcart on a recent road trip to spotlight the progress of Robles. Cathcart said Robles is impressing on all...

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Ryan Zimmerman and Ian Desmond trigger offense to start road trip

August 11, 2015, 5:59am

Nationals

Ryan Zimmerman and Ian Desmond trigger offense to start road trip

The Nationals offense showed no jet lag after flying cross-country to face the Dodgers in the opener of a lengthy 10-game road trip. Washington rapped 13 hits and poured in eight runs as the lineup continues to show signs of gelling. The scorching bat of Ryan Zimmerman started the Nationals' attack in the second with a leadoff double ripped into the right-center field gap. Two batters later, Ian Desmond jumped on a hanging curveball from Dodgers left-hander Brett Anderson and deposited it over...

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Matt of Matt's Bats: A closer look at Anthony Rendon's collision at home plate

August 11, 2015, 5:59am

Nationals

Matt of Matt's Bats: A closer look at Anthony Rendon's collision at home plate

During Sunday's Rockies-Nationals game, a lot of people questioned the ruling on the field in the 7th inning when the umpires called Anthony Rendon out at home plate. With Rendon on second and the score tied at 4-4, Ryan Zimmerman hit a single to right field. Rendon tried to score, testing the arm of Carlos Gonzalez. CarGo nailed a perfect throw to catcher Michael McKenry, who applied the tag to Rendon. Home plate umpire Alan Porter called Rendon out. Almost immediately, Nationals manager Matt...

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Jayson Werth looking to build momentum (with lineups)

August 10, 2015, 3:35pm

Nationals

Jayson Werth looking to build momentum (with lineups)

The Nationals hope yesterday's performance from Jayson Werth is a sign of what's to come from the veteran outfielder for the remainder of the season. The 36-year-old had his first multi-hit game since returning from the disabled list on July 28 after missing 61 games with a fractured left wrist. Werth connected on a fastball in the second inning, drilling it over the wall in the right-center alley for a solo homer. He added a single in the third and turned his leadoff walk in the sixth into...

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Gio Gonzalez dominates in Nationals' 8-3 win

August 10, 2015, 9:53pm

Nationals

Gio Gonzalez has pitched at a high level for the past two months. The left-hander raised it another notch Monday night, throwing eight scoreless innings in an 8-3 Nationals win. "I just thought he was in command the whole night," Nationals manager Matt Williams told reporters. "The key for him is pitch count early and keeping it down. That allowed him to get through eight (innings). He pitched really well." Despite not losing since June 15, Gonzalez had labored through his last three...

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Scherzer looking to build off of changeup; Zimmerman on "big" western trip

August 10, 2015, 4:32am

Nationals

Scherzer looking to build off of changeup; Zimmerman on "big" western trip

There are very few starting pitchers that I have come across in all my years of covering major league baseball that are as articulate and thoughtful as Max Scherzer. Win or lose, he can eloquently break down what went right and what went wrong, and he already is devising a plan of attack for his next outing. Scherzer had a no-decision Sunday. He went six innings, allowed eight hits and four runs, one intentional walk and still struck out 10 batters. He allowed three homers and left with 84...

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Nats start road trip with impressive 8-3 win

August 10, 2015, 6:44pm

Nationals

Nats start road trip with impressive 8-3 win

Ryan Zimmerman continued swinging his red-hot bat, ripping a double to right-center in the second. It was Zimmerman's 10th extra-base hit in his last 13 games since returning from the disabled list. Two batters later, Ian Desmond launched left-hander Brett Anderson's hanging curveball over the wall in left for a two-run homer. Desmond leads the Nationals with six home runs and 15 RBIs since the All-Star break. Left-hander Gio Gonzalez has thrown two scoreless innings, yielding two...

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Ryan Zimmerman on Drew Storen: "He's the least of our worries"

August 10, 2015, 4:55am

Nationals

Ryan Zimmerman on Drew Storen: "He's the least of our worries"

Drew Storen watched his ERA jump from 1.52 to 2.70 over the weekend after two innings of work. The right-hander blew a three-run lead in the blink of an eye on Friday, surrendering a grand slam to Rockies slugger Carlos Gonzalez. And then yesterday, Storen loaded the bases in the eighth before DJ LeMahieu bounced a ball through the hole to score the eventual game-winning two runs. "Drew's fine," Ryan Zimmerman said. "To go a whole year without having any sort of rough patch or a couple bad...

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Nationals game blog: Important road trip begins in L.A.

August 10, 2015, 5:41pm

Nationals

The Nationals are set to begin an 11-game, 10-day road trip, which is likely to prove crucial for playoff positioning. "Look, it is what it is," pirtcher Max Scherzer said. "You have to win all these games. You have to find a way to dig deep and win these series. I know we're playing some great teams. We're going to face the Dodgers, Giants and (the Rockies) again. It's going to be an absolute grind. "That's what August is about. You have to grind through the schedule and keep going at...

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Marty Niland: Ryan Zimmerman's big weekend and memories of Frank Howard

August 10, 2015, 9:13am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Ryan Zimmerman's big weekend and memories of Frank Howard

If there was a silver lining in last weekend's series loss to the Colorado Rockies, it's that Ryan Zimmerman appears to have fully recovered from the plantar fasciitis that has sidelined him for much of this season. The Nationals first baseman has hit safely in four straight games and seven of his last nine, and driven in runs in seven consecutive games. But in the past week, he's shown that his power is back, crushing three homers, including blasts to center field in back-to-back innings on...

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Weekend sweeps alter division races in AL and NL

August 10, 2015, 8:17am

Nationals Orioles

Weekend sweeps alter division races in AL and NL

Weekend sweeps have altered races in both the National and American leagues. Here are thoughts on the storylines of the week: * Before the trade deadline, the general consensus on the Blue Jays was that they didn't have enough pitching to contend. Now that's theory is out the window: David Price, acquired in a trade from Detroit, has pitched two brilliant games and he and Mark Buehrle are more than solid at the top. R.A. Dickey has fixed his walks issue and has a 0.99 ERA since the break....

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Storen victimized and missed opportunities cost Nationals series against Rockies

August 09, 2015, 2:33pm

Nationals

The eighth inning turned into a big inning for the Rockies in this series. Their ability to score runs in that frame against Nationals right-hander Drew Storen helped them to a series win. Friday night, Carlos Gonzalez belted a grand slam off Storen in a Rockies 5-4 win. The Nationals had entered the inning with Storen on the hill and a 4-1 lead. On Sunday, the game was tied at 4-4 in the top of the eighth. The Rockies scored two runs in the frame again off Storen to help them to a 6-4 victory...

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Home not so sweet for Nationals after series loss to lowly Rockies

August 09, 2015, 3:22pm

Nationals

The Nationals blew a prime opportunity to gain ground on the New York Mets by dropping two of three to the lowly Rockies with this afternoon's 6-4 loss. After being swept out of the Big Apple last weekend, the Nats looked to take advantage of seven games in D.C. against the sub .500 Diamondbacks and the Rockies, who live in the basement of the National League West. But the Nationals managed to take only three of the games during the disappointing homestand. The Rays had beaten the Mets earlier...

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Rockies score twice on Drew Storen, Nats lose 6-4

August 09, 2015, 9:55am

Nationals

Rockies score twice on Drew Storen, Nats lose 6-4

Carlos Gonzalez ruined the Nationals' night on Friday with his eighth inning grand slam off Drew Storen. In the first inning today, Gonzalez belted a hanging curveball from Max Scherzer deep to right for a two-out solo homer to give the Rockies an early lead. Rockies All-Star Nolan Arenado followed with a base knock to center before Scherzer whiffed Ben Paulsen with a 95 mph heater to end the frame. Rockies left-hander Yohan Flande retired the Nats in order in the bottom of the...

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Max Scherzer continues Nats pitching attack; Aaron Barrett to DL (with lineups)

August 09, 2015, 7:28am

Nationals

Max Scherzer continues Nats pitching attack; Aaron Barrett to DL (with lineups)

The Nationals send ace Max Scherzer to the mound looking to claim a series win in the finale this afternoon against the Rockies. Scherzer is aiming for his first win at Nationals Park since throwing his no-hitter against the Pirates on June 20. The right-hander didn't get a decision in the Nats' 5-4 win over Arizona on Tuesday night when he allowed three runs on four hits and three walks with nine strikeouts over six innings. Rockies left-hander Yohan Flande is making just his third start of...

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Game blog: Nats seek first series win in August against Rox today

August 09, 2015, 9:26am

Nationals

Game blog: Nats seek first series win in August against Rox today

The Nationals look to win their first series since Miami on July 30 with a win over the Rockies today. Right-hander Max Scherzer (11-8, 2.31 ERA) battles left-hander Yohan Flande (2-1, 3.54). The Nationals will face three southpaw starters in their next four games. Yunel Escobar is back in the lineup for the Nationals and will lead off. He is hitting .301 with 22 hits, two homers and 12 RBI in 73 career at-bats against Colorado. Ryan Zimmerman has hit 11 homers and 56 RBIs in his career against...

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Stephen Strasburg blows away Rockies in Nats' 6-1 win

August 08, 2015, 7:40pm

Nationals

Stephen Strasburg blows away Rockies in Nats' 6-1 win

The Nationals may have found their secret weapon for the playoff run and he has a familiar face. Stephen Strasburg reintroduced himself to the season with his a 12-strikeout domination of the Rockies in the Nationals' 6-1 win. Rockies right fielder Charlie Blackmon welcomed Strasburg back with a leadoff double in the first, but then the tall right-hander went to work. He finished the frame by whiffing All-Star Nolan Arenado with one of his knee-buckling curveballs. Strasburg pounded the zone...