nationals

Span gives Nats 6-5 lead, Clippard coughs it up (Braves win 7-6 in 10 innings)

April 11, 2014, 4:19pm

Tanner Roark's night has taken a turn for the worse in the second inning. The Braves lead the Nationals 4-0, a three-run homer by shortstop Ramiro Pena capping off a four-run second. Pena is in the lineup because regular shortstop Andrelton Simmons is out with a wrist injury. Atlanta took a 1-0 lead when Justin Upton singled, Dan Uggla was hit by a pitch and Evan Gattis followed with a run-scoring single to center. Pena worked the count to 2-2 before crushing a pitch from Roark into the right...

Comments

Tags:

pete kerzel tanner roark nationals frontstory_nationals3

Fister passes 35-pitch bullpen session with no problems (plus bullpen note)

April 11, 2014, 2:59pm

Nationals

Fister passes 35-pitch bullpen session with no problems (plus bullpen note)

Injured right-hander Doug Fister threw 35 pitches during a bullpen session in Atlanta this afternoon and came through without any issues from his strained right lat or the right elbow that troubled him during spring training. "It was really impressive," said Nationals manager Matt Williams. "He threw it where he wanted to, he had good life, he felt good after. So we'll progress from there, but it's a really encouraging sign." While Fister threw mostly fastballs and changeups, he also...

Comments

Tags:

craig stammen doug fister featured_sidebar matt williams nationals pete kerzel xavier cedeno frontstory_nationals3

Nats lineup in series opener vs. Braves (plus Atlanta lineup)

April 11, 2014, 11:54am

Nationals

Nats lineup in series opener vs. Braves (plus Atlanta lineup)

ATLANTA - The Nationals will face Braves right-hander Julio Teheran for the second time in seven days tonight at Turner Field. Teheran allowed two runs over seven innings in an Atlanta win over the Nats in D.C. last Saturday, and he also added two hits to help his own cause. The Nats will send Tanner Roark to the mound for his second start of the season. Roark picked up the win in his 2014 debut, holding the Mets to two runs in six strong innings. For the Nats CF Denard Span 2B Anthony...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko lineups nationals frontstory_nationals3

A handful of random morning notes

April 11, 2014, 2:50am

Nationals

ATLANTA - I'm going to rattle off some numbers for you this morning. I know it's early and some of you might not like numbers at this hour, but if you're a Nationals fan, I have a feeling you'll enjoy most of what I'm about to pass along. Through their first nine games of the season, the Nats have seven wins, tied with the Brewers for the most in the majors. They have a run differential of plus-22, also tied with Milwaukee for tops in the big leagues. If it seems like the Nats' bats...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko nationals aaron barrett featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Strasburg delivers on pregame plan he told Desmond

April 10, 2014, 3:56pm

Nationals

Strasburg delivers on pregame plan he told Desmond

Shortstop Ian Desmond was able to put the game away with a grand slam in the eighth inning Thursday as the Nationals beat the Marlins 7-1 to sweep the three-game set. "I had been scuffling all day," Desmond said. "I knew that going in, they had been putting some quality at bats off of us late in the games. They made it interesting yesterday, back and forth. "Just really wanted to get one there. Kind of been a little bit sped up. Constantly trying to make adjustments the last few days and...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr ian desmond marlins nationals stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Williams on Strasburg, saving the 'pen and two big homers

April 10, 2014, 4:11pm

Nationals

Williams on Strasburg, saving the 'pen and two big homers

With the bullpen thin, the Nationals needed a strong outing from their starter Thursday, and Stephen Strasburg came through. Strasburg held the Marlins to one run on three hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out 12 and walking one. That kept the Nats up 2-1 until they put up a five-spot in the eighth inning to pull away for a sweep-clinching 7-1 victory. It also made it so manager Matt Williams could get through the game with the few relievers he had fully available. Jerry Blevins tossed one...

Comments

Tags:

aaron barrett ian desmond jayson werth josh land matt williams nationals stephen strasburg frontstory_nationals1

Strasburg off to good start, Werth homers (Desmond hits grand slam in 7-1 win)

April 10, 2014, 12:52pm

Nationals

Strasburg off to good start, Werth homers (Desmond hits grand slam in 7-1 win)

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg allowed a single to begin the game by Marlins left fielder Christian Yelich, who promptly stole second and went to third on an error by Nate McLouth. Yelich tried to come home when Derek Dietrich hit a comebacker that Strasburg fielded. He threw home and got Yelich in a rundown to record the first out of the inning. The Marlins did not go on to score. That was the only hit the Marlins were able to register in the first three innings. Strasburg retired eight...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr jayson werth nationals stephen strasburg frontstory_nationals2

Span, Lobaton out of Nats lineup for finale with Fish

April 10, 2014, 8:30am

Nationals

Span, Lobaton out of Nats lineup for finale with Fish

The Nationals lineup for today's 4:05 p.m. finale of a three-game series against the Marlins has a slightly different look to it. Denard Span, who is hitting .241 through the first eight games and in a 2-for-17 slump, is taking a seat. He'll be replaced by Nate McLouth, who will lead off and play center field. Because it's a day game after a night game - and a getaway game before the Nats head to Atlanta for a weekend series - catcher Jose Lobaton isn't starting. Instead, backup Sandy Leon...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko denard span jose lobaton lineups nate mclouth nationals sandy leon frontstory_nationals3

Roark available if needed today, other bullpen news, Fister update

April 10, 2014, 10:47am

Nationals

Roark available if needed today, other bullpen news, Fister update

Manager Matt Williams said Thursday that right-hander Tanner Roark is available out of the bullpen if Stephen Strasburg can't make it through six innings against the Marlins today in the series finale. "Well, if we have to, we have the ability to go to Tanner (Roark), if we have to," Williams said. "We hope that that is not the case. If we do, he would be available potentially for us long, if it gets to that. The best-laid plans are if that doesn't happen. "I think (Rafael) Soriano is...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr matt williams nationals stephen strasburg tanner roark frontstory_nationals2

Harping on last night's Harper homer

April 10, 2014, 5:10am

Nationals

Jayson Werth's grand slam was the big blow last night, the one you'll see on all the highlight reels and the one that lifted the Nationals to a dramatic 10-7 win over the Marlins. It was a huge blast, both in terms of distance and in terms of importance, helping the Nats turn another deficit into a victory. But let's talk a bit more about Bryce Harper's home run earlier in the game last night, a shot that not only pulled the Nats back into the ballgame but also might have pulled Harper out...

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper dan kolko jayson werth matt williams nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Stammen a great example of Nationals' "versatile" bullpen

April 10, 2014, 7:57am

Nationals

Facing a 5-0 deficit in the fourth inning might have many teams thinking about how they can get ready for the final game of the series and just try to win two out of three. Last season, down 5-0 that late in the game might have been too much to overcome for the Nationals. But eight games into the season, the Nationals now have five comeback wins. They have outscored opponents 23-6 from the seventh inning on. They have been able to get clutch hitting in the late going to turn likely defeats into...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr craig stammen jayson werth nationals ross detwiler frontstory_nationals2

Early impressions on expanded replay

April 10, 2014, 10:27am

Nationals Orioles

The first impressions of expanded replay are that it will be overall inconsequential. In most cases, a manager's challenge will either be denied by the replay command center in New York or will have little outcome on the game. But there are exceptions. Nobody knows better than Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who in one game used his challenge early only to see a blown call cost his team a run later in the game, when he was out of challenges. After the Mets' Juan Lagares was called out trying...

Comments

Tags:

frontstory_nationals4 frontstory_orioles4 mel antonen nationals orioles

Intentional walk to get to Jayson Werth backfires on Marlins

April 09, 2014, 8:04pm

Nationals

Intentional walk to get to Jayson Werth backfires on Marlins

It is a strategic move. But you don't see a team walk a batter to get to a clutch hitter like Jayson Werth too many times. It set up a possible double play. Instead it turned into a game-changing grand slam. Nationals reliever Craig Stammen, who kept the Marlins off the board for three and 1/3 innings, said it doesn't take too much to get Werth going, usually something way less egregious than an intentional walk. "Well, knowing Jayson, if a pitcher looks at him wrong, he'll take that...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr craig stammen jayson werth nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Win autographed gear using #masnNationals

April 07, 2014, 11:13am

Nationals

Update: Tweet with #masnNationals now to be entered to win a signed Gio Gonzalez jersey! For many sports fans, Twitter is a perfect tool for talking about their team. Through Twitter, we can see Nationals fans thoughts on the lineup, game commentary and more. Well, we want to reward you for getting social. All this week, you can enter to win signed Nats gear simply for tagging your tweets with #masnNationals. Send us pictures of your set-up to watch the game or tweet about your favorite...

Comments

Tags:

nationals nationals buzz olivia witherite

David Huzzard: Early returns on Matt Williams and the Nats

April 10, 2014, 6:52am

Nationals

David Huzzard: Early returns on Matt Williams and the Nats

The early-season magnifying glass is intense. Coming into the series against the Marlins, Bryce Harper was in a bad slump. His upper and lower halves were not in sync and he struggled to get around on the ball, and because it was the only sample size people had, they put more meaning to it than it deserved. If Harper had had two bad series in the month of June, no one would have noticed, but because it is April everything is noticed. The same can be said of Stephen Strasburg and the two bad...

Comments

Tags:

david huzzard guest blogger guestblogger matt williams nationals nationals buzz

Williams meets with the media after wild 10-7 Nats win

April 09, 2014, 8:10pm

Nationals

Williams meets with the media after wild 10-7 Nats win

Blown leads, multiple replay reviews, monstrous homers, more blown leads, plays at the plate, late-game strategy ... this game have enough in it for you? What an entertaining ballgame tonight's 10-7 Nationals win turned out to be. It lasted a whopping three hours, 56 minutes, saw 364 pitches get thrown, and ended with the Nats celebrating a wild victory thanks to Jayson Werth's go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning. Matt Williams covered all the main topics in his postgame...

Comments

Tags:

dan kolko matt williams nationals frontstory_nationals2 featured_sidebar

Marlins strike first against Zimmermann (Werth slam lifts Nats to 10-7 win)

April 09, 2014, 3:19pm

Nationals

Marlins strike first against Zimmermann (Werth slam lifts Nats to 10-7 win)

The Marlins were quick out of the gates against Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann. The first three batters reached base. Christian Yelich led off the game with a single and stole second base. After a Derek Dietrich walk, Giancarlo Stanton connected on an RBI single and the Marlins led 1-0. Garrett Jones' sacrifice fly brought Dietrich home and extended the Marlins' lead to 2-0. Left-hander Brad Hand is starting for the Marlins, which is why Nationals manager Matt Williams said he put...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr jordan zimmermann nationals frontstory_nationals1

Zimmerman going back to three-quarter angle throwing motion to protect shoulder

April 09, 2014, 1:19pm

Nationals

Zimmerman going back to three-quarter angle throwing motion to protect shoulder

After a couple of days of rest, third baseman Ryan Zimmerman returned to the starting lineup and will debut for the first time this season a new three-quarter throwing motion. "It feels good," Zimmerman said. "I think that is one of the reasons why we decided to go ahead and try it. It is not as stressful as the arm angle that is higher. So, we figured we would give that a try. "It is good. It is a different throw. It is a work in progress. But there is no pain. Just got to keep working. Do...

Comments

Tags:

adam laroche byron kerr matt williams nationals ryan zimmerman frontstory_nationals3

More on Rendon and LaRoche and their hot starts

April 09, 2014, 5:02am

Nationals

More on Rendon and LaRoche and their hot starts

My colleague Byron Kerr highlighted the contributions of Anthony Rendon and Adam LaRoche in last night's Nationals win. I'd like to take a look at those two Nats infielders on a slightly larger scale. Both Rendon and LaRoche have made some solid defensive plays early on, but on the offensive side of things, they've just been raking through the first week and a half of the regular season. Rendon is hitting .407 through the Nats' first seven games, with three doubles, a homer and eight...

Comments

Tags:

adam laroche anthony rendon dan kolko nationals featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Zimmerman returns to Nats lineup

April 09, 2014, 11:44am

Nationals

Ryan Zimmerman is back in the Nationals lineup after sitting out the last two contests with shoulder inflammation. Zimmerman is playing third base and batting fifth as the Nats look to clinch the series win against the Marlins. Jordan Zimmermann makes the start and Bryce Harper is batting seventh. This marks the first time Harper is batting seventh since the first four games of his big league career. For the Nationals CF Denard Span 2B Anthony Rendon RF Jayson Werth 1B Adam LaRoche 3B Ryan...