nationals

LaRoche and Zimmermann on if the Braves have psyched them out

June 19, 2014, 7:09pm

The Nationals lost their sixth game in seven attempts against the Braves on Thursday, a 3-0 shutout at Nationals Park. First baseman Adam LaRoche does not know the answer as to why Atlanta has had the Nationals' number recently, besides the obvious of playing a little better baseball at the right time. "I don't know what it is," LaRoche said. "You got to think losing that many games it's not all coincidence. They play us tough, you know, plain and simple. They come up with some big...

Comments

Tags:

adam larcohe byron kerr jordan zimmermann nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals1

Williams speaks after Nats' 3-0 loss to Braves

June 19, 2014, 6:57pm

Nationals

Williams speaks after Nats' 3-0 loss to Braves

After putting up six runs in each of their last two games against the Astros, the Nationals managed just three hits in a 3-0 loss to the Braves tonight, pushing Atlanta back to within 1/2 a game of Washington in the National League East and adding to the Nats' issues against their top division rival. Two of the Nats' three hits today were of the extra-base variety. Denard Span doubled with two outs in the sixth and Jayson Werth doubled leading off the seventh. Neither guy went any further...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko nationals featured_sidebar matt williams frontstory_nationals2

Nationals and Braves under way in NL East battle (Braves won 3-0)

June 19, 2014, 3:27pm

Nationals

The much anticipated Nationals versus Braves series is upon us. Atlanta has won five of the first six meetings between the two clubs this year and had held the top spot in the division until a recent downward turn. The Nationals bounced back from a four-game skid to post a pair of 6-5 wins against Houston to begin the homestand. But this is the Braves, and the Nationals have a combined record of 3-10 record against Atlanta and St. Louis this season. Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann allowed a...

Comments

Tags:

braves byron kerr jordan zimmermann nationals frontfeatured_nationals

Nationals lineup for series opener against Braves

June 19, 2014, 11:04am

Nationals

The Nationals will trot a hot pitcher out to the mound for the opener of their four-game series against the Braves. Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, who will oppose Braves righty and Annapolis native Gavin Floyd, has allowed only one run in his past 26 innings. On the year, Zimmermann is 5-3 with a 2.98 ERA. Here's the Nationals lineup: CF Denard Span 3B Anthony Rendon RF Jayson Werth 1B Adam LaRoche LF Ryan Zimmerman SS Ian Desmond 2B Danny Espinosa C Jose Lobaton RHP Jordan Zimmermann

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko jordan zimmermann lineups nationals frontstory_nationals1

In come the Braves

June 18, 2014, 8:27pm

Nationals

If you happened to miss last night's Nationals win over the Astros, and didn't see right fielder Jayson Werth's tag-avoiding, pop-up-short-of-the-bag slide into second base, I highly suggest you check this out: Your browser does not support iframes. Werth said he knew he was going to be out as he went into his slide, so he switched into self-preservation mode. Somehow, it worked. "I think I've tried that a few different times, and I've never been successful at that," Werth said with a...

Comments

Tags:

braves dan kolko nationals denard span featured_sidebar jayson werth matt williams frontstory_nationals1

David Huzzard: The hot stretch and an important weekend

June 19, 2014, 5:08am

Nationals

David Huzzard: The hot stretch and an important weekend

Having scored 289 runs on the season, the Nationals offense ranks eighth in the National League in runs scored. But over their last 20 games, the Nationals offense has kicked it into a different gear. For those games, they've scored 93 runs, or 4.65 runs a game, and have produced a 12-8 record. This scoring outburst also happens to include the series against the Cardinals in which they managed to score a grand total of three runs. The main complaint about the Nationals lately has been their...

Comments

Tags:

david huzzard guest blogger guestblogger nationals nationals buzz

Gonzalez and Span speak after sweep of Astros

June 18, 2014, 7:40pm

Nationals

Gonzalez and Span speak after sweep of Astros

The Nationals' advance scouting saw that Astros starter Scott Feldman was slow to the plate. They felt they could run on Astros catcher Jason Castro. The strategy worked, playing a key part in the Nationals scoring two early runs. They lost that lead, but eventually ended up beating the Astros 6-5, going 5-for-5 in stolen bases, all off Feldman. But Denard Span said after the game that stealing five bases was not the crux of the overall game plan. "I don't think collectively as a team we...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr denard span nationals gio gonzalez matt williams featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Aggressive Nats grab 1-0 lead in first (Nats rally for 6-5 win)

June 18, 2014, 3:32pm

Nationals

Aggressive Nats grab 1-0 lead in first (Nats rally for 6-5 win)

We're off and running at Nationals Park, and the Nationals have a 1-0 lead after the opening inning. And when I say running, I mean running - to the tune of three stolen bases in the first inning. Denard Span got the first, although it took a video replay challenge by manager Matt Williams to make it official, and Anthony Rendon swiped a pair. Span led off by drawing a leadoff walk, stole second and advanced to third on Rendon's single. Rendon swiped second when Jayson Werth struck out, and...

Comments

Tags:

nationals pete kerzel frontstory_nationals2

Williams meets with the media after Nats' 6-5 win over Astros

June 18, 2014, 7:51pm

Nationals

Williams meets with the media after Nats' 6-5 win over Astros

Coming into this two-game series with the Astros, the Nationals were 9-1 against Houston since the start of the 2012 season. We can make now that 11-1. The Nats swept this two-game set, tonight earning a 6-5 win in a bit of a back-and-forth ballgame. In Gio Gonzalez's first start back off the disabled list, the Nats took a 2-0 lead after three, but the Astros came back with four runs in the fourth off Gonzalez. The left-hander allowed those four runs over five innings, walking three, striking...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko matt williams nationals frontstory_nationals1

Williams on Gonzalez's return and Harper's progress

June 18, 2014, 12:56pm

Nationals

Williams on Gonzalez's return and Harper's progress

Before Wednesday's game, Nationals manager Matt Williams provided the reasoning behind having Sandy Leon catch left-hander Gio Gonzalez's return from the disabled list against the Houston Astros. "Just getting (Leon) in there. He's got some experience with Gio, has caught Gio. Nothing in particular," Williams said. "Just get him in against the righty." Gonzalez got to 79 pitches in his last minor league rehab start. But he has not pitched in a major league game since May 17 against the...

Comments

Tags:

anthony rendon bryce harper byron kerr gio gonzalez matt williams nationals ryan zimmerman sandy leon featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Yet again, Desmond rebounds from slow defensive start

June 17, 2014, 10:48pm

Nationals

Yet again, Desmond rebounds from slow defensive start

Over Ian Desmond's first 20 games played this season, he made a whopping eight errors in just 66 chances. His fielding percentage three weeks into the season was .879, and Desmond admitted at the time that he was getting frustrated by all the miscues, even saying that stretch was comparable to other "dark places defensively" that he'd been in earlier in his career. "The errors in the past have made me who I am today," Desmond said at the time. "These are going to make me a better man,...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko ian desmond nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Gonzalez returns, Lobaton sits in Astros finale

June 18, 2014, 12:17pm

Nationals

Gonzalez returns, Lobaton sits in Astros finale

The Nationals end a two-game series against the Astros tonight, sending left-hander Gio Gonzalez to the mound in hopes of finishing off a sweep. Gonzalez was activated off the 15-day disabled list today after spending time on the shelf with left shoulder inflammation. He'll have most of the Nats' regular lineup behind him, the lone exception being his batterymate. Sandy Leon will catch Gonzalez. For the Astros CF Dexter Fowler 2B Jose Altuve RF George Springer 1B Jonathan Singleton 3B Matt...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko gio gonzalez lineups nationals sandy leon frontstory_nationals1

Nationals reinstate Gonzalez from DL, option Cedeno to Triple-A

June 18, 2014, 12:30pm

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today returned from rehab and reinstated left-handed starter Gio Gonzalez from the 15-Day Disabled List, and optioned left-handed reliever Xavier Cedeno to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Gonzalez, 28, returns to the Nationals after missing 29 games with left shoulder inflammation. He rejoins the Nationals' active roster after making two rehab starts with...

Comments

Tags:

Nationals News Release nationals

Williams discusses Nats' 6-5 win (Cedeno optioned to Triple-A)

June 17, 2014, 7:40pm

Nationals

Williams discusses Nats' 6-5 win (Cedeno optioned to Triple-A)

After closing out their 10-game road trip on a four-game losing streak, the Nationals got back in the win column tonight, jumping out to a 6-1 lead over the Astros and hanging on for a 6-5 victory. Anthony Rendon had two doubles and drove in three, Ryan Zimmerman had two doubles and drove in two, and Tanner Roark picks up his sixth win of the season after allowing one run over five innings. The right-hander didn't have his best stuff, and he threw 95 pitches in those five frames, but he...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko matt williams nationals xavier cedeno featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Nats take early lead in first inning (Nats win 6-5)

June 17, 2014, 3:34pm

Nationals

Nats take early lead in first inning (Nats win 6-5)

Well, that didn't take long. After scoring a combined four runs over the last four games, the Nationals scored two runs in the first inning against Astros starter Dallas Keuchel. Anthony Rendon doubled home Denard Span to give the Nats a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Ryan Zimmerman doubled home Rendon. Tanner Roark will certainly enjoy an early cushion. Update: Back-to-back RBI doubles from Zimmerman and Ian Desmond extended the Nats' lead to 4-0 in the third inning. Meanwhile, Roark...

Comments

Tags:

anthony rendon nationals ryan zimmerman tanner roark frontstory_nationals2

Strasburg emotional in remembrance of Gwynn

June 17, 2014, 1:00pm

Nationals

Strasburg emotional in remembrance of Gwynn

Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg was noticeably emotional this afternoon when speaking about the death of his boyhood idol and college baseball coach, Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, who died Monday of salivary gland cancer at 54. "It's tough because the last couple of weeks, no one really knew what was going on," Strasburg said. "I mean, just from my perspective, he was like a god to me growing up. How much he did for San Diego and for baseball all over the country. You never would have...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr nationals stephen strasburg tony gwynn frontstory_nationals3

Hearing from Roark and Rendon after win over Astros

June 17, 2014, 7:47pm

Nationals

Hearing from Roark and Rendon after win over Astros

The Nationals had only one extra base hit against the Cardinals over the weekend. They lost all three games and managed three total runs. On Tuesday, the Nationals edged the Astros 6-5 thanks in a pair of doubles each from Ryan Zimmerman, and Anthony Rendon. The duo combined to go 4-for-8 with two runs, four doubles, a walk and five RBIs. Astros starter Dallas Keuchel (8-4) arrived in D.C. with an 8-3 record and was 6-0 on the road. He had won six of his last seven decisions. Rendon said...

Comments

Tags:

anthony rendon byron kerr frontstory_nationals1 nationals tanner roark

Span back in Nats lineup vs. Astros

June 17, 2014, 11:03am

Nationals

As the Nationals play their first home game following a 10-game road trip, Denard Span returns to the lineup after sitting out Sunday's game with a tight back. Span will also be looking to get on track, as the Nats center fielder has gone 0-for-18 over his last five games. Tanner Roark will be on the mound opposite Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel, who is 6-1 with a 1.33 ERA over his last seven starts. Roark is seeking his sixth straight quality start and has a 1.93 ERA over his last seven...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko denard span nationals tanner roark frontstory_nationals3

Williams provides updates on Harper, Gonzalez and Ramos

June 17, 2014, 1:30pm

Nationals

Williams provides updates on Harper, Gonzalez and Ramos

Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper took swings in the batting cage with both hands this afternoon for the first time since tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb on April 26. Manager Matt Williams told the media prior to tonight's game against the Astros that Harper is a taking a positive step in his rehab program. "Today was the first time with two hands," Williams said. "It's limited, but he's excited about that." Williams said Harper came through the hitting session...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper courtney lofgren gio gonzalez nationals wilson ramos frontstory_nationals2

Examining the offense

June 16, 2014, 10:28pm

Nationals

In the nine games prior to the Nationals' current four-game losing streak, the offense came to life in a big way. The Nats slugged 36 extra-base hits in those nine contests (eight homers, three triples and 25 doubles). They hit .265 as a team with a .338 on-base percentage and .442 slugging percentage. They averaged 5.67 runs per game. Combine that offensive punch with the tremendous pitching that the Nats got during that stretch, and it's not a surprise that the team went 8-1 over those...