nationals

Nationals watch lead vanish, then win it with dramatic bottom of ninth on Harper walk-off

July 25, 2013, 1:39pm

The ninth inning had a little bit of everything for the Nationals on Thursday in a thrilling 9-7 victory over the Pirates. In a game the Nationals led throughout, they watched as the Pirates went right at their closer, Rafael Soriano, and scored four runs to tie the game in the top of the ninth. Reliever Ian Krol, in a rare move, replaced the Nationals closer and survived a rocky outing himself to strikeout Garrett Jones to end a tumultuous top half of the inning. Pittsburgh handed the ball...

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The bats come alive as the Pirates fall apart

July 25, 2013, 9:29am

Nationals

The bats come alive as the Pirates fall apart

The Nationals seemingly hadn't gotten a break in weeks. They seemingly hadn't gotten a hit with a runner in scoring position in weeks, either. They got both of those things in the first inning of today's game, and both the breaks and the hits came in rapid-fire succession. The Pirates made three errors in the first inning, two of which allowed runs to score. Third baseman Pedro Alvarez dropped a throw when the Pirates had Bryce Harper caught in a rundown, allowing Harper to score the...

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Harper returns to Nats lineup, so does Desmond (updated)

July 25, 2013, 7:10am

Nationals

Harper returns to Nats lineup, so does Desmond (updated)

Bryce Harper is back in the Nationals' lineup today after getting yesterday off to rest his left knee, which he received treatment on recently. Ian Desmond, however, is not in the Nats' lineup for the second straight day. Desmond had hoped to receive a special patch today that he could put on top of the blister that's on his left palm, but the patch wasn't able to arrive this morning. As a result, Desmond will sit out another game and manager Davey Johnson hopes to have his shortstop back...

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Ramos on Storen's struggles, Span on the team's struggles

July 24, 2013, 8:11pm

Nationals

Ramos on Storen's struggles, Span on the team's struggles

Let's get the blown-call quotes out of the way early in this entry. Hey, Wilson Ramos, did Neil Walker tag you before flipping to first for what second base umpire Laz Diaz ruled was a game-ending double play? "Nope. Not even close," Ramos said. "He never tagged me." What did Diaz tell you when you argued the call, Wilson? "He told me, 'He tagged you. I don't hear, but I saw it,' " Ramos said. "I said, 'Sure, you didn't see anything. Not even close.' But I don't know, maybe...

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Detwiler to miss another month

July 24, 2013, 7:11pm

Nationals

Ross Detwiler has already been out the last three weeks with a lower back injury. It appears the Nationals' left-hander will miss at least another month on top of that. Detwiler met with Dr. Robert Watkins, a back specialist out in the Los Angeles area, today to get a second opinion on his ailing back, and the word from Dr. Watkins wasn't great. Manager Davey Johnson reported after tonight's 4-2 loss to the Pirates that Detwiler has a disc problem, which is leading to the discomfort in...

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Rachel Levitin: Time to light a fire under Nationals

July 25, 2013, 5:29am

Nationals

Every weekend from April through the end of July, I play softball in a co-ed league in Glover Park, and every weekend between those months, the Nationals comes up in conversation. It's the usual fare of "Were you at that game?" or "Did you see that play?" But last weekend, my first base coach shared a thought with me that I hadn't considered yet this season: The Nationals aren't getting angry enough about the fact that they're on a legitimate skid right now. After wasting yet another...

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Strasburg: "Six innings isn't cool anymore for me "

July 24, 2013, 7:34pm

Nationals

Strasburg: "Six innings isn't cool anymore for me "

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg put together one of his most complete outings Wednesday yet, because of the Nationals' anemic offense, walked out with the loss, 4-2 to the Pirates. Strasburg (5-8) went eight innings and struck out a season-high 12 hitters. He allowed two hits, one run on a homer by Pedro Alvarez, and no walks. His career-high in strikeouts in a game was 13 at Boston on June 8, 2012. Strasburg fired 118 pitches, 80 for strikes. His 47 strikeouts in his career against the...

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Johnson on the blown call, Nats' sixth straight loss

July 24, 2013, 7:55pm

Nationals

Johnson on the blown call, Nats' sixth straight loss

The manner in which tonight's game ended left Davey Johnson and the Nationals' players a bit steamed following their 4-2 loss, as second base umpire Laz Diaz clearly missed a call that ended the Nats' comeback hopes in the bottom of the ninth inning. The call certainly didn't decide the game, as the Nats had nine innings to try and get things going offensively only to put up just two hits entering the ninth. But it did stifle their chance at a late comeback and gave them their sixth...

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No hits through five (Nats lose 4-2)

July 24, 2013, 4:31pm

Nationals

The offensive woes continue. How many straight days can I write an entry with a lede similar to that? The Nationals don't have a hit through five innings tonight. Pirates starter Francisco Liriano has allowed two walks - to Scott Hairston leading off the bottom of the first and to Jayson Werth in the fourth - but has yet to surrender a base hit. The Nats haven't really been all that close to recording their first hit, either. A Stephen Strasburg groundball up the middle nearly got through...

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Johnson believes Taylor Jordan a good fit for 2014

July 24, 2013, 2:08pm

Nationals

Johnson believes Taylor Jordan a good fit for 2014

Right-hander Taylor Jordan continues to be consistent on the mound, and although his record doesn't show it, he has made progress fine-tuning a pair of his best pitches. Jordan is 0-3 with a 3.68 ERA in five starts for the Nationals. He was 9-1 with a 1.00 ERA in 15 minor league games. Coming off Tommy John surgery, Jordan will only have a handful of starts remaining before he will need to be shut down if general manager Mike Rizzo follows the same restriction of 160 innings he placed on...

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Harper resting knee, Desmond dealing with torn blister

July 24, 2013, 2:00pm

Nationals

Harper resting knee, Desmond dealing with torn blister

With Bryce Harper needing to get treatment on his left knee recently and Ian Desmond dealing with a torn blister on his left hand, Davey Johnson has given both guys a game off tonight against Pirates left-hander Francisco Liriano. Harper has started all 19 games since he returned from a month-long DL stint due to left knee bursitis, but he's gone just .214 with one homer and six RBIs in those games. The lone homer, in fact, came in Harper's first at-bat off the DL. The Nationals'...

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Harper, Desmond out of Nats lineup

July 24, 2013, 11:31am

Nationals

Bryce Harper and Ian Desmond have both been held out of tonight's Nationals lineup against the Pirates. Anthony Rendon will get the start at shortstop, and Steve Lombardozzi will be at second. This is the first time Harper is out of the starting lineup since his return from the disabled list in June. He's hitting just .190 with 15 strikeouts in his last 11 games. Prior to tonight, Desmond had played in 99 of the 100 games the Nats had played this season. This will be Rendon's first...

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Comparing each hitter's 2013 and 2012 campaigns

July 24, 2013, 6:51am

Nationals

Comparing each hitter's 2013 and 2012 campaigns

One hundred games into last season, the Nationals owned a 60-40 record, tied for the best mark in the majors. They were 20 games over .500 and had a four-game lead in the National League East. This year's Nats are 12 games off that pace, at 48-52. They're four games under .500, eight games out of first in the NL East and 8 1/2 games back of the final Wild Card spot. I could drop a line about what a difference a year makes, but I think that's pretty clear at this point, don't you? The...

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Werth on unlucky Nats: "I think at some point, the tide's got to turn"

July 23, 2013, 7:30pm

Nationals

Werth on unlucky Nats: "I think at some point, the tide's got to turn"

Following losses both Sunday afternoon and Monday night, reporters approached Jayson Werth to discuss his two-homer performance (something that happened both days) and another tough defeat. Both of those interviews were brief, with a frustrated Werth not wanting to answer what he called "gloom and doom" questions. Tonight, things were different. Werth called reporters over to his locker and opened up about the Nationals' play of late. He only took three questions before ending the...

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David Huzzard: For Rizzo, deadline is no time to panic

July 24, 2013, 5:03am

Nationals

David Huzzard: For Rizzo, deadline is no time to panic

With the Nats having not won a game after the All-Star break and in the midst of a 2-10 stretch, there are many looking at the Nationals as sellers. The only problem is the Nats don't have a lot to sell, and that isn't because they don't have talent. Any contending team would love to have Jordan Zimmermann, Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez or Ian Desmond. The only issue is that they are integral to the Nats' success going forward. The core pieces of the roster...

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Johnson on Jordan's outing and another Nats loss

July 23, 2013, 6:58pm

Nationals

Johnson on Jordan's outing and another Nats loss

Again, while the line score might not indicate it, Taylor Jordan pitched well enough to win tonight. Instead, the Nationals' rookie right-hander dropped to 0-3 on the season with tonight's 5-1 loss. Jordan allowed five runs (four earned) over 7 2/3 innings, but he got minimal help from his defense and the Nationals' bats. Two Pirates runs followed Anthony Rendon's second-inning error, an miscue that came on a potential inning-ending double play, and another run charged to Jordan came...

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Despite tough loss to Pirates, Jordan believes he is making progress

July 23, 2013, 6:59pm

Nationals

Despite tough loss to Pirates, Jordan believes he is making progress

He is getting closer. Right-hander Taylor Jordan had allowed only two earned runs through seven innings Tuesday. But again the Nationals could not score runs, and he trailed, 3-1. Manager Davey Johnson liked what he was seeing from Jordan and with a low pitch count, and wanted to give the youngster a shot in the eighth inning to earn his first major league victory. "He pitched so good in the seventh, I was going to take him out for the left-hander, but I thought he deserved the chance to...

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Detwiler seeing back specialist, Mattheus to be activated Friday

July 23, 2013, 1:42pm

Nationals

Detwiler seeing back specialist, Mattheus to be activated Friday

I saw Ross Detwiler in the player parking lot as I was driving up to Nationals Park this afternoon. Detwiler won't be around the park too long before hopping on a plane for the West Coast. Manager Davey Johnson said Detwiler is heading out to Los Angeles today to meet with Dr. Robert Watkins to get another opinion on the lower back strain that landed Detwiler on the DL back on July 7 (retroactive to July 4) and has bothered him since. Detwiler threw a bullpen session Saturday, but was...

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Schu on becoming hitting coach: "Glad I got an opportunity"

July 23, 2013, 2:02pm

Nationals

Schu on becoming hitting coach: "Glad I got an opportunity"

The Nationals welcomed Rick Schu as their new hitting coach Tuesday, looking to turn around a team that has struggled with inconsistent hitting all season. The Nationals are 13th in the National League in batting average (.240) and 14th in runs scored (367). Schu spent the last four seasons as the Nationals' minor league hitting coordinator. He has watched and coached six teams in the organization before arriving in D.C. to replace the fired Rick Eckstein Schu has been a hitting coach for...

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Jordan again in line for a tough-luck loss (Nats lose fifth straight)

July 23, 2013, 5:29pm

Nationals

Jordan again in line for a tough-luck loss (Nats lose fifth straight)

The Nationals are being outscored by the Pirates 5-1 midway through the eighth. They're being outhit 10-2. At least they hold lead in one category - errors, where they have a 2-0 edge tonight. They've got that going for them, so that's nice. The box score says that Taylor Jordan allowed five runs tonight, four of which were earned. And that's true, of course. But making his fifth career major league start, Jordan pitched a heck of a lot better than the box score indicates. The rookie...