nationals

Notes and quotes from the wildest game of the season

August 18, 2013, 12:58am

ATLANTA - The Nationals and Braves played 15 innings last night. The game lasted 5 hours, 29 minutes, making it the longest game, time-wise, in Nats team history. Eighteen pitchers were used, including four starting pitchers. The only position player on either roster that didn't see action was Nats catcher Kurt Suzuki. The guy must have felt pretty left out. Everyone else was taking part in this awesome game, and Suzuki was the new kid in town who didn't get picked for a kickball...

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Strasburg and others discuss the Upton plunking and the ejection

August 17, 2013, 11:03pm

Nationals

Strasburg and others discuss the Upton plunking and the ejection

ATLANTA - Perhaps not surprisingly, Stephen Strasburg didn't have much to say about his plunking of Justin Upton in the bottom of the first inning tonight (or should I say, last night, given that it's 3:00 a.m.) or his ejection after throwing behind Andrelton Simmons in the second. Asked bluntly whether he intended to hit Upton in the first, when he drilled the Braves' top power hitter with a 97 mph fastball in the backside, Strasburg declined to discuss the matter. "I'm not gonna get...

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Johnson and Knorr discuss Nats' 15-inning win

August 17, 2013, 10:26pm

Nationals

Johnson and Knorr discuss Nats' 15-inning win

ATLANTA - Anything to discuss after this one tonight? Pretty boring night of baseball, eh? The Nationals didn't just beat the Braves 8-7 in 15 innings tonight. They outlasted them. Neither starting pitcher tonight went more than two innings. Stephen Strasburg hit Justin Upton in the first and then was ejected in the second for throwing behind Andrelton Simmons. The Nats blew a 6-2 lead and then saw their two-run advantage in the ninth disappear when Rafael Soriano surrendered a two-out,...

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To the 12th we go (Nats win a marathon, 8-7 in 15 innings)

August 17, 2013, 7:48pm

Nationals

To the 12th we go (Nats win a marathon, 8-7 in 15 innings)

ATLANTA - This game is just nuts. We head to the 12th inning tied 7-7 here at Turner Field after Ian Krol delivered two scoreless frames working for the second straight day. This comes after the rookie right-hander allowed a walk-off homer to Justin Upton in the bottom of the 10th last night. Quite a strong bounce-back performance from Krol, who has been mentally beaten down pretty good lately during a rough stretch. The Nationals don't have a hit since Ryan Zimmerman's homer with one out...

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The Tanner Roark show (Soriano blows another save)

August 17, 2013, 5:34pm

Nationals

The Tanner Roark show (Soriano blows another save)

ATLANTA - Not only has Tanner Roark come on and delivered four scoreless innings in relief of Stephen Strasburg after Strasburg was ejected in the second inning, but Roark has delivered with the bat, as well. Quite a night for the rookie right-hander. Up for his second career major league at-bat with two outs in the top of the fifth, Roark smoked an RBI double to left-center, scoring Tyler Moore from first and boosting the Nationals' lead to 5-2. It was obviously the first career hit and...

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Strasburg drills Justin Upton with first-pitch fastball (Strasburg ejected)

August 17, 2013, 3:59pm

Nationals

Strasburg drills Justin Upton with first-pitch fastball (Strasburg ejected)

ATLANTA - Well, there we go. Stephen Strasburg drilled Justin Upton with a first-pitch 97 mph fastball in the backside in the bottom of the first inning, prompting warnings to be issued to both the Nationals and Braves by home plate umpire Marvin Hudson. The plunking came immediately after Jason Heyward hit a solo shot to right-center on a 3-2 Strasburg pitch. Upton stepped in, turned his back to the Strasburg heater and took it off the left buttocks. The Braves starting left fielder then...

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Tyler Moore: "I'm very confident in myself. I just want to help this team"

August 17, 2013, 3:14pm

Nationals

Tyler Moore: "I'm very confident in myself. I just want to help this team"

ATLANTA - It'd be pretty tough to argue that Tyler Moore didn't earn his promotion back to the big leagues. After getting optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on July 8 following another tough stretch with the Nationals, Moore caught fire. He hit .367/.442/.664 over 33 games, with eight home runs, 12 doubles and 38 RBIs. During that stretch, Moore walked 18 times compared to 24 walks, a very impressive ratio for a power hitter. This comes after Moore struggled mightily with the Nats this season,...

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Taylor Jordan shut down for 2013

August 17, 2013, 1:48pm

Nationals

ATLANTA - The final outing of Taylor Jordan's 2013 season will be the six innings he threw against the Braves last night, in which he allowed just two unearned runs. Nationals manager Davey Johnson said before tonight's game against the Braves that Jordan, who was put on the disabled list today with a right lower back strain, will not pitch again this season. The combination of Jordan's injury and the fact that he's near his team-imposed innings limit set for this season led Johnson and...

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Harper scratched with triceps bruise, plus retaliation talk

August 17, 2013, 2:24pm

Nationals

Harper scratched with triceps bruise, plus retaliation talk

ATLANTA - Bryce Harper was originally written into the Nationals lineup as their leadoff hitter and center fielder. That has since changed. Harper has been scratched from today's lineup due to a bruised left triceps, suffered last night when he was hit by a 91 mph fastball from Braves left-hander Luis Avilan. Harper had a bandage on the triceps after last night's game, and while he intended to start today, that won't end up happening. Manager Davey Johnson went to Harper at around 2:30...

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Moore playing first, Harper scratched (updated)

August 17, 2013, 12:10pm

Nationals

Moore playing first, Harper scratched (updated)

ATLANTA - In his first game back from the minors, Tyler Moore is starting at first base against Braves left-hander Mike Minor. Also, Bryce Harper is playing center field with righty Scott Hairston in left for the Nationals. Update: After meeting with a trainer and manager Davey Johnson, Harper has been scratched from tonight's game. Denard Span will now hit leadoff and play center. Harper was hit by two pitches last night and left the Nationals' clubhouse after the game with a pad on his...

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On the potential for retaliation, Krol's struggles and Storen's return

August 17, 2013, 6:57am

Nationals

On the potential for retaliation, Krol's struggles and Storen's return

ATLANTA - There's one key factor in whether the Nationals can, or choose to, use tonight to retaliate to the multiple plunkings of Bryce Harper by Braves pitchers over the last two weeks. That factor is whether or not the umpires issue warnings before the first pitch of tonight's game is thrown. If the umpires try and take matters into their own hands and prevent further incident between the Nats and Braves by issuing warnings to both benches before the game begins, it would make it...

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Nats place Taylor Jordan on DL, recall Tyler Moore from Triple-A

August 17, 2013, 11:29am

Nationals

Nats place Taylor Jordan on DL, recall Tyler Moore from Triple-A

ATLANTA - The Nationals announced this afternoon that they've placed right-hander Taylor Jordan on the 15-day disabled list with a right lower back strain, and recalled outfielder/first baseman Tyler Moore from Triple-A Syracuse. Manager Davey Johnson told reporters on Wednesday that Jordan had suffered some kind of back injury while at the dentist. The rookie right-hander worked six innings last night, allowing two runs (both unearned) on seven hits. On a team-imposed innings limit this...

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Hearing from Werth, Krol and Jordan after another loss in Atlanta

August 16, 2013, 8:43pm

Nationals

Hearing from Werth, Krol and Jordan after another loss in Atlanta

ATLANTA - Through a team spokesman, Bryce Harper declined to talk to reporters after tonight's 3-2 loss to the Braves. When it came to the topic of Harper twice getting hit by Braves pitchers tonight, his teammates weren't willing to say all that much, either. "You know, that's one of those things we take care of in-house," Jayson Werth said. "That's just part of the game. I'm not going to speak publicly about it." Harper was hit by an Alex Wood curveball in the fourth inning and a...

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Johnson on the Harper plunkings and the walk-off loss

August 16, 2013, 8:03pm

Nationals

Johnson on the Harper plunkings and the walk-off loss

ATLANTA - In the last 28 or so hours, the Nationals have lost on a go-ahead three-run homer in the ninth and a walk-off solo homer in the 10th. The tough 2013 season gets tougher. The Nats came back to tie tonight's game 2-2 in the top of the eighth inning and were able to get it to extras, but Ian Krol surrendered a walk-off homer to Justin Upton with one out in the 10th that gave the Braves a 3-2 win and left the Nats walking off the field hanging their heads again. Taylor Jordan allowed...

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Harper plunked for second time tonight (Nats lose 3-2 on Upton walk-off)

August 16, 2013, 6:11pm

Nationals

Harper plunked for second time tonight (Nats lose 3-2 on Upton walk-off)

Bryce Harper has been hit twice tonight. The first time came on the first pitch thrown by Alex Wood in a fourth-inning Harper at-bat, a breaking ball that got Harper in the back. Harper calmly turned around and trotted to first base. Braves fans cheered that plunking with gusto. The second time came on the first pitch thrown by Luis Avilan in an eighth-inning Harper at-bat, a 91 mph fastball that got Harper in the upper back. Harper bent over at the waist, in clear pain, as Braves fans rose...

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Werth and Johnson on Manuel's firing and chances he joins Nats

August 16, 2013, 3:14pm

Nationals

Werth and Johnson on Manuel's firing and chances he joins Nats

ATLANTA - The news of Charlie Manuel's firing by the Phillies this afternoon made its way through the Nationals' clubhouse prior to tonight's game against the Braves, and one guy had a lot more to offer on the topic than anyone else. Jayson Werth played under Manuel in Philadelphia for four seasons from 2007-2010, and it's evident from talking with Werth how much he cares about his former manager. Werth didn't want to discuss the circumstances of Manuel's firing in too much detail, but...

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Notes on Ramos, Ohlendorf and the late-relievers

August 16, 2013, 3:35pm

Nationals

Notes on Ramos, Ohlendorf and the late-relievers

ATLANTA - The Nationals might be 14 1/2 games back of the Braves in the National League East entering this three-game set in Atlanta, but Davey Johnson still views this as a big series. "We've lost 10 out of 13 (to Atlanta). We need to show them they're not better than us," Johnson said. "Need to stand up and return the favor. Had our way with them a little bit last year, need to show we can show up and play better than they can." The Nats enter this game coming off a tough one-run loss...

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Ramos back in Nats lineup

August 16, 2013, 11:54am

Nationals

ATLANTA - As expected, Wilson Ramos is back in the lineup today as the Nationals open a three-game series against the Braves. Ramos had missed the Nats' last two games after suffering a left hamstring injury in Tuesday's win over the Giants. This marked the third time this season that Ramos has injured his left hamstring, but this issue was lower down in the hamstring than the previous two strains and was not considered nearly as serious. Taylor Jordan (1-3, 4.14 ERA) takes the ball tonight...

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Defensive miscues continue to hurt Jordan (bring on the bullpens)

August 16, 2013, 4:59pm

Nationals

Defensive miscues continue to hurt Jordan (bring on the bullpens)

Despite having worked just 49 2/3 major league innings this season, Taylor Jordan has allowed the second-most unearned runs of any Nationals pitcher. The Nats have made 11 errors behind Jordan this year, and it seems those errors always come back to hurt him. Tonight, two throwing errors have led to two Braves runs, and Atlanta has a 2-1 lead after four innings. In the first, Wilson Ramos opted to try and catch Jason Heyward stealing despite the fact that Justin Upton had just taken ball...

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As shutdown approaches, Jordan staying focused

August 16, 2013, 8:08am

Nationals

As shutdown approaches, Jordan staying focused

ATLANTA - It's a good thing I looked at the weekend forecast for Atlanta before packing a bag last night. It's most certainly not in the 90s down here, which is what I had expected. It's rainy and cool in Atlanta this morning, a sample of what it looks like we're going to get through the entire weekend. I'll take the temperatures in the 70s and upper 60s, but the rain could be an issue. This is the last time the Nationals are scheduled to visit Turner Field this season, so these two teams...