nationals

Pujols and Nationals react to historic 500th home run

April 22, 2014, 7:15pm

Angels first baseman Albert Pujols crushed a pair of home runs to reach 500 for his career in a 7-2 win over the Nationals on Tuesday night. Pujols hit both home runs off Nationals starter Taylor Jordan. "It was a really good swing, a fastball middle up and obviously, probably the best swing I have taken this year so far," Pujols said. "It came at a good time." Although Jordan thought his pitch on Pujols' 499th home run was a good one, he admitted that he missed his target on Pujols'...

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Nationals Chatter: Harper, Harper, Harper and power rankings

April 22, 2014, 12:59pm

Nationals

Bryce Harper. Those two words dominated headlines not just in Washington, D.C., but all around baseball this past week - whether it was for his lack of hustle in Saturday's game against the Cardinals or for his hyped matchup with the Angels' Mike Trout. Here are a few headlines you may have missed from other media outlets regarding Harper and the Nationals. * Manager Matt Williams has received praise from many in the media over the way he handled the Harper situation. FOXSports.com's...

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Rachel Levitin: Going through growing pains

April 23, 2014, 5:05am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Going through growing pains

There's been a lot of going on at Nationals Park this week with the Los Angeles Angels in town. Fans in attendance at Tuesday night's game witnessed history as Angels first baseman Albert Pujols slugged his 499th and 500th career home runs. The three-game series, which concludes this evening, also marked the first time young guns Mike Trout and Bryce Harper's ballclubs have faced each other. But all of that aside, what's been most notable from a Nationals perspective is that this team is...

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Pujols hits his 500th career home run, Nats fall 7-2

April 22, 2014, 3:20pm

Nationals

Pujols hits his 500th career home run, Nats fall 7-2

The first inning did not start off well for the Nationals and Taylor Jordan. And again, the defense added to the early deficit. Jordan allowed a double to J.B. Shuck to lead off the game. Mike Trout reached on a throwing error by third baseman Anthony Rendon. With two men on, Albert Pujols stepped to the plate. On a 1-1 pitch, Pujols launched a mammoth shot deep over the left field wall for his seventh homer of the season and No. 499 of his career. He is 26th on the all-time list behind Eddie...

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Williams and Werth discuss Nats' 7-2 loss

April 22, 2014, 6:59pm

Nationals

Williams and Werth discuss Nats' 7-2 loss

A couple of familiar early-season trends popped up again in tonight's 7-2 Nationals loss - an early deficit and defensive miscues. The Nats trailed 3-0 three hitters into the game following a double, an Anthony Rendon throwing error and Albert Pujols' 499th career homer. The Angels added another run later in the frame, and had a four-run cushion before the Nats even got their first ups. The lead was trimmed to two in the third when the Nats scored twice without the benefit of an RBI (a wild...

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Barrett recalled, Cedeno optioned to Triple-A (Espinosa hits second, Rendon cleanup)

April 22, 2014, 11:09am

Nationals

Barrett recalled, Cedeno optioned to Triple-A (Espinosa hits second, Rendon cleanup)

As promised, it didn't take too long before Aaron Barrett was brought back from the minors and rejoined the Nationals. Barrett was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse this afternoon, with left-handed reliever Xavier Cedeno being optioned to Syracuse to make room for Barrett on the 25-man roster. The 26-year-old Barrett got off to a great start with the Nats in his first taste of the big leagues, throwing 4 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and two walks and striking out six. He...

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Williams offers updates on Fister, Storen; Barrett returns to majors

April 22, 2014, 2:11pm

Nationals

Williams offers updates on Fister, Storen; Barrett returns to majors

Manager Matt Williams reported that right-hander Doug Fister had another quality simulated game in Florida and could be 15 days away from making his first start for the Nationals. Fister went three innings and tossed 44 pitches. "He felt good with everything," Williams said. "Lots of grounders and reported he felt really good with it. The next step for him is work out down there tomorrow. The plan is for him to be here Thursday and continue to go through his program and get to a rehab start...

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More on Clippard's tough start to 2014

April 22, 2014, 5:08am

Nationals

Over the last four years, few late-inning relievers have been as consistently impressive as Tyler Clippard. Since the start of the 2011 season, Clippard has posted a 2.64 ERA and a 0.964 WHIP, struck out 10.3 batters per nine innings and allowed just a touch over a home run per nine. Right now, however, Clippard's going through a tough stretch. He's allowed at least one run in five of his 11 appearances this season, has a 1.45 WHIP and for whatever reason has struggled to post the clean,...

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Roark did his job Monday, left with the lead

April 22, 2014, 5:09am

Nationals

Roark did his job Monday, left with the lead

Right-hander Tanner Roark did everything he could possibly do to keep the Nationals in the game and continue his home dominance. Roark went 6 2/3 innings and scattered seven hits, allowing no runs with two walks, one intentional, and five strikeouts. He was a workhorse with 105 pitches, 63 for strikes. There is something about Roark at Nationals Park. He has allowed one earned run in 26 innings at home for a 0.35 ERA. Roark said the home numbers are good, of course, but more important to him is...

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Nationals recall right-hander Aaron Barrett, option left-hander Xavier Cedeno to Triple-A Syracuse

April 22, 2014, 11:32am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today recalled right-handed reliever Aaron Barrett from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League and optioned left-handed reliever Xavier Cedeno to Syracuse. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. In two appearances since being optioned to Triple-A on April 12, Barrett, 26, collected two saves and did not allow a run in 2.1 innings pitched. He surrendered just two hits, walked one and struck out two. ...

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Stuart Wallace: Could Werth be at start of defensive decline?

April 22, 2014, 6:19am

Nationals

Stuart Wallace: Could Werth be at start of defensive decline?

It's been a decidedly dismal start to the season for the Nationals defensively. They find themselves in sole possession of last place in the National League in terms of team fielding percentage, while also leading the NL in errors with 22 after last night's series opener against the Angels. This total would have been higher were it not for a scoring change of Yadier Molina's liner at Jayson Werth in Thursday's 8-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals -- a ball Werth either lost in the lights...

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Desmond and Clippard on what went wrong in the eighth inning

April 21, 2014, 7:42pm

Nationals

Desmond and Clippard on what went wrong in the eighth inning

Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond committed two errors in the Angels' decisive four-run rally in the eighth inning, leading to a 4-2 loss Monday night. Desmond's first error occurred when he bobbled a grounder near the bag at second which allowed Albert Pujols to reach base. With two outs, pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez slapped a game-changing three-run double, and Desmond picked up another error on an errant throw. "I feel bad, obviously, but what are going to do? keep on playing, I guess,"...

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Williams discusses Nats' 4-2 loss

April 21, 2014, 7:22pm

Nationals

Thanks to Tanner Roark's strong start and Angels starter Garrett Richards suddenly losing his control in the fourth inning, the Nationals led 1-0 heading to the top of the eighth inning tonight. The Angels then rattled off four runs off Tyler Clippard, and held on for a 4-2 win. All four of the runs Clippard allowed were unearned; they came in an inning which saw Ian Desmond commit two more errors, giving him nine on the season. The first miscue came on a grounder up the middle off the bat of...

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Some Easter Sunday leftovers

April 21, 2014, 5:09am

Nationals

There were quite a few encouraging things that the Nationals saw in yesterday's 3-2 walk-off win. Stephen Strasburg delivered a strong outing against a very tough Cardinals lineup, despite the fact he didn't use his slider and instead relied entirely on fastball/changeup/curve. The Nats scratched out 11 hits and drew seven walks, and did a good bit of that damage against St. Louis' bullpen. Jose Lobaton came alive with three hits. Rafael Soriano worked a clean, quick, dominant ninth inning....

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Harper and Trout understand hyped matchup, but focus is on winning

April 21, 2014, 2:35pm

Nationals

Harper and Trout understand hyped matchup, but focus is on winning

With the arrival of the Los Angeles Angels in D.C. comes the much anticipated matchup between 22-year-old Mike Trout and 21-year-old Bryce Harper. Trout was the 25th overall selection in 2009, while Harper arrived as the first overall pick in 2010. They have been linked because they are both considered power-hitting phenoms and are the faces of the next batch of young superstars to play in the majors. But Harper was not going to buy into the hype prior to Monday's first game of a three-game...

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Starting pitchers controlling game early (Angels win 4-2)

April 21, 2014, 4:04pm

Nationals

Starting pitchers controlling game early (Angels win 4-2)

The Nationals' Tanner Roark struck out three of the first four batters he faced in tonight's opening game of their three-game set with the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels got a pair of hits in the second and a walk, but Roark worked out of that with a strikeout of Angels starter Garrett Richards to end the inning. In the third, J.B. Shuck was originally called out at first on a grounder to second as he dove for the bag. The Angels requested a video replay review and the call was overturned....

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Nats lineup vs. Trout, Angels

April 21, 2014, 11:13am

Nationals

The Nationals open their first interleague series of the season tonight when they begin a three-game set against Mike Trout and the Angels at Nationals Park. This marks the first time Washington hosted the Angels since 2008 and the first time Bryce Harper and Trout will be on the same field during the regular season. Harper is batting second and playing left field. Tanner Roark starts for the Nats against Los Angeles right-hander Garrett Richards. Roark is seeking his first win since his...

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McLouth walk a key at-bat in walk-off winner for Nationals

April 21, 2014, 6:19am

Nationals

Outfielder Nate McLouth came up in the bottom of the ninth with two men on and one out against Cardinals reliever Seth Maness on Sunday. The Cardinals and Nationals were tied at 2-2. He played a key role in the series, salvaging a 3-2 walk-off winner for D.C. Maness started with three straight sinkers against McLouth, hoping to get him to bite. But McLouth hung in there, didn't swing, and got the count to 3-0. Then, Maness switched up his strategy. He threw a four-seam fastball for a called...

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Span, Strasburg, Harper and Werth react after walk-off win over Cardinals

April 20, 2014, 2:51pm

Nationals

Span, Strasburg, Harper and Werth react after walk-off win over Cardinals

The Nationals' comeback to beat the Cardinals 3-2 on a Denard Span sacrifice fly in the ninth gave them their sixth come-from-behind win this season. They split the four-game set with St. Louis, improving to 5-1 in series finales. The Nats left 17 men on base, but managed to come away with the victory. Span spoke about his at-bat against right-hander Seth Maness in the ninth with the bases loaded, one out and the game tied 2-2. The Cards played an extra man in the infield for Span's...

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Marty Niland: Espinosa's play should win fans' hearts as well as games

April 21, 2014, 4:11am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Espinosa's play should win fans' hearts as well as games

For those who are afraid the Nationals' 2014 season will be a sad repeat of 2013, take a good look at last weekend's four-game split with the St. Lois Cardinals. The knock on the Nats has been that they can rack up cheap wins at the expense of the Marlins and Mets, but come up up empty against teams they may ultimately have to contend with in the postseason, like the Braves and Cardinals. A week ago, they seemed to prove their critics right, dropping three games in Atlanta, showing the same...