nationals

Nats' eight-game winning streak ends with 8-5 loss

June 28, 2015, 1:49pm

PHILADELPHIA - Some opportune hitting and well-placed grounders led to four runs for the Phillies in the second inning against Nationals starter Tanner Roark. Cody Asche singled to start the frame and then Andres Blanco belted a line drive double to right. The Nationals opted to bring the infield up and Phillies starter Severino Gonzalez hit a bouncing ball to Tyler Moore, but Asche was too quick to the plate and Moore chose to take the safe out. Odubel Herrera followed with a grounder up the...

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Healthy Strasburg spins gem for Nats' eighth straight win

June 28, 2015, 12:55pm

Nationals

Healthy Strasburg spins gem for Nats' eighth straight win

PHILADELPHIA - Stephen Strasburg delivered his best start of the year as the Nationals held on to beat the Phillies 3-2 in the first game of today's doubleheader. Strasburg allowed a solo homer in the second and an RBI single in the sixth to Phillies right fielder Jeff Francoeur, but that was about it. The tall righty fanned nine Phillies while scattering four hits with one walk in seven strong innings. Strasburg threw 113 pitches, his biggest output of the season thus far, reaching 99 mph...

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Roark starts Game 2, Harper sits

June 28, 2015, 12:43pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - Nationals manager Matt Williams will give the ball to Tanner Roark to start Game 2 of the doubleheader. Roark hasn't pitched since he followed Strasburg to the mound for two scoreless innings in Tuesday's 3-1 win over the Braves. That was Roark's first relief appearance since returning to the bullpen after going 3-0 with a 3.86 ERA in five starts from May 25-June 16. Jose Lobaton will be behind the plate for Roark. Lobaton is 3-for-10 (.300) with two RBIs in his last three...

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Strasburg leads Nats to 3-2 win in Game 1 of doubleheader

June 28, 2015, 9:48am

Nationals

Strasburg leads Nats to 3-2 win in Game 1 of doubleheader

PHILADELPHIA - Bryce Harper wasted no time testing his hamstrings out after belting a two-out double down the right field line in the first. Wilson Ramos ended up stranding Harper to close out the frame. Stephen Strasburg struck out Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard to end a 14-pitch scoreless first inning. But in the second, Jeff Francoeur jumped all over Strasburg, rocking a 95 mph fastball deep into the seats in left for a solo homer. Update: Denard Span ripped a one-out double in the fifth...

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Williams, Gonzalez left frustrated after delayed postponement

June 27, 2015, 2:47pm

Nationals

Williams, Gonzalez left frustrated after delayed postponement

PHILADELPHIA - With a massive storm bearing down on the eastern seaboard, the Nationals and Phillies got under way this afternoon - but under questionable conditions. They made it only through the top of the second before the game was halted due to heavy rain. After a lengthy delay, a decision was finally made to postpone the game and play it as part of a straight doubleheader beginning at 1:05 p.m. tomorrow, with both games live on MASN. Clearly upset, Nationals manager Matt Williams said he...

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Bryce Harper returns for Game 1 of doubleheader (with lineups)

June 28, 2015, 7:51am

Nationals

Bryce Harper returns for Game 1 of doubleheader (with lineups)

PHILADELPHIA - Bryce Harper returns to the Nationals lineup for Game 1 of today's straight doubleheader with the Phillies. It will be Harper's first game action since he injured his right hamstring late in Wednesday's 2-1 win over the Braves. Harper ripped a one-out double in the 11th inning, but pulled up lame as he arrived at second base. Harper was checked out briefly, but remained in the game to score the winning run moments later on Ian Desmond's walk-off sacrifice fly. Nationals...

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Williams with latest on Harper, Span and Escobar (game postponed)

June 27, 2015, 11:04am

Nationals

Williams with latest on Harper, Span and Escobar (game postponed)

PHILADELPHIA - Nationals manager Matt Williams must have felt like he was filling out a Grapefruit League road game lineup earlier this afternoon. Ian Desmond is the only Nationals everyday starter playing as Williams will be without injured stars Bryce Harper, Denard Span and Yunel Escobar. Not to mention that Wilson Ramos is resting after catching the last four games and, of course, Anthony Rendon (left quad strain), Jayson Werth (left hand fracture) and Ryan Zimmerman (plantar fasciitis) are...

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Who are these guys? Nationals bench comes through in 5-2 win

June 27, 2015, 6:41am

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - When Denard Span's back spasms forced Nationals manager Matt Williams to re-release his revised lineup card about an hour before first pitch last night, the result resembled a spring training batting order. Then Yunel Escobar left the game and by the time the bottom of the first inning started, the lineup had progressed to a mix of names from a March split squad scrimmage. "Weird day. Weird day," Williams reflected after. "Denard's in there and comes in for our advanced...

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Williams on Turner, Barrett and Zimmerman

June 27, 2015, 10:47am

Nationals

Williams on Turner, Barrett and Zimmerman

Shortstop Trea Turner made his Triple-A debut Friday night in a Syracuse 9-1 loss at Indianapolis. He was called out on strikes, lined softly to right fielder, grounded into a force out at second base, scored on a Kevin Keyes single, grounded into another force out and got to third later in the inning. He finished 0-for-4 with a run scored. Not a big deal, he went 0-for-4 to start his first of 10 days at Harrisburg. The next game he had three base hits. Amazingly, he had 25 multi-hit games in...

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Bryce Harper out for third straight game (with lineups)

June 27, 2015, 9:52am

Nationals

Bryce Harper out for third straight game (with lineups)

PHILADELPHIA - Bryce Harper will miss his third straight game with tightness in his right hamstring. Harper initially experienced the setback while running to second after ripping a double in the 11th inning of Wednesday's 2-1 victory over the Braves. Harper remained in the game that night to score the winning run, but hasn't played since. Nationals manager Matt Williams said yesterday that Harper underwent an MRI with good results. Williams is also resting Denard Span, whose backs spasms...

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Max Scherzer dominates Phillies for 100th career win

June 26, 2015, 8:32pm

Nationals

Max Scherzer dominates Phillies for 100th career win

PHILADELPHIA - As Max Scherzer took the mound in the sixth inning of tonight's 5-2 Nationals win over the Phillies, not one person was surprised that the imposing right-hander had yet to allow a single base runner. Why would they be? It was third time in as many starts that Scherzer had gone through five innings completely perfect. And it was coming on the heels of two of the most remarkable back-to-back pitching performances in the game's history - a 16-strikeout one-hit shutout in Milwaukee...

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Updates on Span and Escobar as Nats' injury report grows

June 26, 2015, 7:08pm

Nationals

Updates on Span and Escobar as Nats' injury report grows

PHILADELPHIA - About an hour before first pitch, Nationals center fielder Denard Span experienced another bout of back spasms and was forced to sit out tonight's 5-2 win over the Phillies. Span said he felt fine when he showed up at Citizens Bank Park and proceeded to go through his regular pregame routine. His batting practice session in the cage was interrupted by a meeting. When Span stood back up to go resume hitting, his back locked up on him. "It's more frustrating than anything,"...

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Williams reacts to Rendon's trip to DL and Harper's latest setback

June 26, 2015, 3:12pm

Nationals

Williams reacts to Rendon's trip to DL and Harper's latest setback

PHILADELPHIA - Just as the Nationals seemingly were separating themselves from the competition in the National League East, the injury bug has struck again. Second baseman Anthony Rendon was the first bad news, the Nationals placing the 25-year-old infielder on the 15-day disabled list earlier today with a left quadriceps strain. Then came news that right fielder Bryce Harper will miss his second straight game with tightness in his right hamstring. And center fielder Denard Span was the latest...

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Max Scherzer powers Nationals to 5-2 win

June 26, 2015, 3:44pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - Back spasms forced Denard Span out of tonight's game, with Michael A. Taylor taking over center field and the leadoff spot in the order. Taylor smacked the first pitch from Phillies starter Aaron Harang over center fielder Odubel Herrera's head for a double. Two batters later, Harang ran an 89 mph fastball in hard on Yunel Escobar's left hand, sending him to the ground. Nationals manager Matt Williams and head athletic trainer Lee Kuntz immediately came out of the dugout to...

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Anthony Rendon to 15-day disabled list, Emmanuel Burriss has contract selected

June 26, 2015, 11:11am

Nationals

Anthony Rendon to 15-day disabled list, Emmanuel Burriss has contract selected

PHILADELPHIA - After beginning the 2015 season on the disabled list, infielder Anthony Rendon finds himself back on it, this time with a left quad strain. Rendon missed the first 52 games of the season, recovering from a left knee sprain followed by a left oblique strain, and didn't make his season debut until June 4. In his 18 games this season, he is batting .290/.375/.362, with five doubles, nine walks, five RBIs and nine runs scored. He does not yet have a homer on the year. The move is...

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Back spasms force Span to join Harper on sidelines (updated lineups)

June 26, 2015, 12:37pm

Nationals

Back spasms force Span to join Harper on sidelines (updated lineups)

PHILADELPHIA - Right fielder Bryce Harper will miss his second straight game after pulling up lame with a right leg cramp on a double in the 11th inning of Wednesday's victory over the Braves. Harper remained in that game, scoring the game-winning shortly after, but was unable to play yesterday. Nationals manager Matt Williams yesterday called Harper's absence in the lineup nothing but a "day off." Clint Robinson will start for Harper in right field. Robinson was 2-for-3 with an RBI...

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What Trea Turner's promotion to Triple-A means for the Nats

June 26, 2015, 6:23am

Nationals

What Trea Turner's promotion to Triple-A means for the Nats

It didn't take long for prospect Trea Turner to get to Triple-A. The talented shortstop is expected to join the Syracuse Chiefs today or tomorrow in Indianapolis, more likely today, according to a source familiar with the situation. Turner spent 10 days with Double-A Harrisburg. But really he spent 68 games at Double-A, where he started the season at Double-A San Antonio. With the Missions, Turner had a 16-game hit streak. Before that he had a 10-game streak. Turner has had 25 multi-hit games...

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What's next for Max Scherzer?

June 26, 2015, 5:03am

Nationals

Following yesterday's 6-0 shutout win in which Doug Fister extended a franchise-best record of scoreless innings by Washington Nationals starters to 41 1/3 innings, outfielder Clint Robinson was asked what he expects when Max Scherzer takes the hill in Philadelphia tonight. "I don't know," Robinson said with a look of amazement as reporters laughed. "What do you guys think? I'd expect the same thing he did last time." That's the level that Scherzer is pitching at these days after...

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Nats offense gets to Wisler early and often in 7-0 win over Braves

June 25, 2015, 4:02pm

Nationals

Nats offense gets to Wisler early and often in 7-0 win over Braves

The Nationals did not waste any time getting to Braves rookie right-hander Matt Wisler in Thursday's getaway matchup. They scored six runs in the first three innings and cruised to a 7-0 win and a series sweep. The biggest hit was from shortstop Ian Desmond, who crushed a two-run shot to cap the scoring in the third. The Nationals pounded out seven hits in the first three frames. Wisler lasted four innings and allowed nine hits and six runs, but only four of the runs were earned. Every starter...

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Opposite dugout: Changes are in the wind for last-place Phillies

June 25, 2015, 10:13am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Changes are in the wind for last-place Phillies

Manager: Ryne Sandberg (3rd season) Record: 26-48 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: 3B Maikel Franco (.311/.358/558 with 10 HR, 29 RBIs), LF Ben Revere (.292, 18 SB), 1B Ryan Howard (13 HR, 36 RBIs), RHP Aaron Harang (4-9, 3.41 ERA), RHP Jonathan Papelbon (13 saves, 1.88 ERA, 1.05 WHIP) Season series vs. Nationals: 5-4 Pitching probables: June 26: RHP Max Scherzer vs. RHP Aaron Harang, 7:05 p.m., MASN June 27: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. LHP Adam Morgan, 3:05 p.m., MASN June 28: RHP Stephen Strasburg...