nationals

Inability to produce clutch hit haunts Nats vs. Cleveland

June 16, 2013, 12:24pm

Even with though he was struggling with his command, Stephen Strasburg gave the Nationals a chance. But in the end, the offense could not deliver the clutch hit, and the Nationals fell 2-0 at Cleveland on Sunday. The Nationals had no outs and runners on first and third in the sixth, but could not score. A Ryan Zimmerman strikeout and an Adam LaRoche double play groundout ended the threat. In the seventh, the Nationals loaded the bases with nobody out. Jhonatan Solano lined into a double play...

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Marty Niland: "Can't anybody here play this game?"

June 17, 2013, 5:09am

Nationals

Marty Niland: "Can't anybody here play this game?"

As the Nationals struggled again to bring runners home in their 2-0 loss in Cleveland on Sunday, their fans must have been fuming. With apologies to Casey Stengel, or whoever initiated the quote that became the title of Jimmy Breslin's book chronicling the 1962 Mets, the question, "Can't anybody here play this game?" comes to mind. Eleven times, Washington hitters came to bat with at least one runner in scoring position, and eleven times, they failed to get the runner home. Four of...

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Nationals-Indians lineups (Strasburg returns, Cedeno back to Syracuse)

June 16, 2013, 6:53am

Nationals

It's a Father's Day special at Progressive Field, as the Nationals seek their third straight series win. Last night, the Nationals come back to beat the Indians 7-6 on the first major league home run by Anthony Rendon. Sunday is special in many ways, but for the Nationals, the top return of Stephen Strasburg (3-5, 2.54 ERA) is at the top of the list. Xavier Cedeno was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse to make room on the 25-man roster. The Indians counter with Corey Kluber (4-4, 4.08 ERA) Here...

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Strasburg flashback: June 13, 2010, Nationals 9, Indians 4

June 14, 2013, 11:27am

Nationals

The last time the Nationals ventured to Cleveland was 2010. The weekend series was June 11-13, 2010, almost the exact same time of the year. Cleveland was hoping LeBron James would stay with the Cavaliers and the Indians were a below-.500 ball club. The Indians won the first two games of the series pretty easily - 7-2 and 7-1. The Nationals' first two starters were Luis Atilano and J.D. Martin. The highlight early in the series was former Nationals outfielder Austin Kearns' two Friday night...

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Strasburg departs after five innings of one-hit ball (Nats lose 2-0)

June 16, 2013, 10:00am

Nationals

Strasburg departs after five innings of one-hit ball (Nats lose 2-0)

That lat strain that sent Stephen Strasburg to the disabled list seems a distant memory. Through three innings at Progressive Field, the Nationals right-hander has yet to allow a hit, walked two and struck out two in a scoreless tie. Strasburg has thrown 47 pitches, but has only 25 strikes - an unusually high rate of balls for the power pitcher. He's got five outs on ground balls. Now the Nationals have to generate some offense. They had Anthony Rendon on second in the first on a one-out...

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Nationals' power display answers many questions

June 15, 2013, 7:21pm

Nationals

Saturday's thrilling 7-6 comeback victory over the Indians reveals a lot about what this 2013 version of the Nationals are capable of. Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth, Ian Desmond, Chad Tracy and Anthony Rendon all hit homers. All of them solo shots. That power is both a strength and a weakness. There have not been enough two-run or three-run homers this season as compared to last season. But it cannot be underreported that this team crushed five home runs Saturday. The three shots by...

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Nationals reinstate Strasburg from DL, option Cedeno to Triple-A Syracuse

June 16, 2013, 6:49am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals reinstated right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg from the 15-Day Disabled List and optioned left-handed pitcher Xavier Cedeno to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Strasburg, who missed the last 12 games with a right latissimus dorsi strain, is 3-5 with a 2.54 ERA and 8.8 strikeouts per 9.0 innings in 12 starts this season with Washington. The...

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Nats ride five solo homers, stout relief to wild win over Tribe

June 15, 2013, 6:45pm

Nationals

Nats ride five solo homers, stout relief to wild win over Tribe

Five solo homers. A blown 5-0 lead. Late-inning heroics. Impressive relief. If you were looking for some excitement Saturday night, Progressive Field in Cleveland might've been the place to be. The Nationals were able to overcome a rare poor start from Jordan Zimmermann and a big Indians comeback to win 7-6 for their third victory in four games. The Nats looked like they'd cruise to a win after jumping out to a 5-0 lead and chasing starter Scott Kazmir in the third behind homers from Ryan...

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Zimmermann, Nats let Indians take first lead (Nats win 7-6)

June 15, 2013, 5:14pm

Nationals

Zimmermann, Nats let Indians take first lead (Nats win 7-6)

This one's starting to look a lot like Jordan Zimmermann's rough May 29 start in Baltimore. Given a 5-0 lead in the third, Zimmermann has let the Indians come all the way back to take a 6-5 advantage in the fifth. Cleveland scored once in the third, twice in the second and three times with two outs in the fifth. Nick Swisher slimmed the Nationals' lead to one with an RBI single before Michael Brantley's two-run double to center put the Indians on top. Zimmermann's line so far: 5 IP, 8...

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Zimmerman, Werth get Nats out to fast start (Indians go back-to-back)

June 15, 2013, 3:29pm

Nationals

Zimmerman, Werth get Nats out to fast start (Indians go back-to-back)

To set Jordan Zimmermann up with an early cushion, the middle of the Nationals' order dialed up the longball with two outs in the first. Ryan Zimmerman took Scott Kazmir deep before Jayson Werth made it back-to-back homers for a 2-0 Nationals lead. It was Zimmerman's eighth of the season and second in three games after an 11-game drought. Werth hit his sixth of the year. The Nats have hit back-to-back homers four times this year and now hit at least one longball in 79 consecutive series...

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Zimmermann facing Indians for first time, Marrero earns first start since '11 (update)

June 15, 2013, 11:59am

Nationals

Zimmermann facing Indians for first time, Marrero earns first start since '11 (update)

Jordan Zimmermann faces the Indians for the first time in his career, looking to help the Nationals even their weekend interleague series. Zimmermann has been exceptional since his first dud of the season, a May 29 loss at Baltimore where the right-hander allowed seven runs in six innings. Over the two starts heading into tonight, he has held opponents to just two unearned runs on six hits while fanning 12 and walking three in 15 frames. He'll be going for his 10th win today. Former top...

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Gonzalez holding form against Tribe (Indians walk off with 2-1 win)

June 14, 2013, 4:22pm

Nationals

Gonzalez holding form against Tribe (Indians walk off with 2-1 win)

Gio Gonzalez is very familiar with the Indians after pitching the first four seasons of his career in the American League. In fact, the Tribe is a favorite opponent of the lefty. He really likes pitching at Progressive Field. His all-time mark of 5-0 with an 0.72 ERA against Cleveland includes a 4-0 record and 0.68 ERA on the shores of the Cuyahoga River. That's not just good, that's domination. Gonzalez is through four innings of Friday's interleague start against the Indians, and so far...

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Inconsistent offense needs spark Rendon provides

June 15, 2013, 1:22am

Nationals

Inconsistent offense needs spark Rendon provides

The Nationals' only run in Friday's opening series 2-1 loss to the Indians came on a bases-loaded wild pitch in the third inning. Cleveland's Justin Masterson was able to strike out 10 batters. Indians pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts. The Nationals managed just two hits, from Ryan Zimmerman and Steve Lombardozzi. Neither of those hits came after the third inning. The Nationals had their chances, as did the Indians, to get some scoring going. "We had right guys up with runners in...

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Desmond doing it big of late

June 13, 2013, 11:44pm

Nationals

Maybe the Nationals should start using Ross Ohlendorf and Ross Detwiler as some kind of new tag-team when they start slumping or get in trouble. You drop below .500 and need a couple wins? Call on the Rosses. Detwiler might not have picked up a win yesterday in the Nationals' series finale in Colorado, but he did his job in his first start back off the disabled list, allowing three runs over five innings. The Nats' bats then woke up late, with Ryan Zimmerman and Ian Desmond each...

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Zimmerman to DH; Nats lineup tonight vs. Indians

June 14, 2013, 11:36am

Nationals

Zimmerman to DH; Nats lineup tonight vs. Indians

For only the fifth time in his career, Ryan Zimmerman will be the designated hitter as the Nationals take on the Cleveland Indians. Ironically, on June 13, 2010, Zimmerman was the designated hitter and batted third as the Nationals beat the Indians, 9-4, in Cleveland. The game was Stephen Strasburg's second start of his career and his second win. The lineup also has Steve Lombardozzi at second base. That means this will be Anthony Rendon's first day off since returning to the roster for a...

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Rendon mixing up his tendencies to confuse pitchers

June 13, 2013, 8:37am

Nationals

Rendon mixing up his tendencies to confuse pitchers

Nationals second baseman Anthony Rendon continues to prove he can hit at the big league level. In just 14 games, Rendon is hitting .306 (15-for-49) with five doubles, five RBIs, six walks and 12 strikeouts. In the last 10 games, Rendon is hitting .382 (13-for-34) with four RBIs, seven strikeouts and all six of his walks. So that shows he is getting used to pitches he is seeing and is finding a way to make contact. His hand speed and balance at the plate are impressive. His approach can make...

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Ryan Zimmerman loves Coors Field (Nats win 5-4)

June 13, 2013, 12:21pm

Nationals

Ryan Zimmerman loves Coors Field (Nats win 5-4)

Most hitters love playing at Coors Field. That's no secret. The ball travels further at altitude. Breaking pitches have less spin, leaving more balls hanging up in the zone. Ryan Zimmerman really, really loves playing at Coors Field. Zimmerman smoked a two-run homer to left with two outs in the third inning, giving the Nationals a 2-1 lead and further inflating Zimmerman's career numbers in Colorado. In 29 games at Coors Field, Zimmerman is now batting .365 (42-for-115) with eight home...

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Detwiler returns, Davis optioned, Kobernus in left again (with All-Star note)

June 13, 2013, 9:34am

Nationals

Detwiler returns, Davis optioned, Kobernus in left again (with All-Star note)

Ross Detwiler's last start in a Nationals uniform came all the way back on May 15, when he left his start against the Dodgers after just three innings with a strained muscle in his lower back. Nearly a month later, after a painstakingly slow rehab process, the left-hander will finally return to the rubber in a big league game. Detwiler will get the ball for the Nats in this afternoon's series finale against the Rockies. He'll look to pick up where he left off in mid-May, having posted a...

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New group of call-ups generating a spark

June 12, 2013, 10:59pm

Nationals

New group of call-ups generating a spark

Last season, when the Nationals had players go down due to injuries, their call-ups and reserves stepped up in a big way and played a major factor in the team's overall success. Bryce Harper and Tyler Moore got called up from Triple-A Syracuse and Steve Lombardozzi and Roger Bernadina came off the bench to help the Nats overcome injuries to Michael Morse and Jayson Werth. After the season-ending knee injury to Wilson Ramos, Kurt Suzuki came in, managed the pitching staff beautifully and...

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Nationals reinstate Detwiler from DL, option Davis to Triple-A

June 13, 2013, 9:34am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today recalled from rehab and reinstated left-handed pitcher Ross Detwiler from the 15-Day Disabled List and optioned right-handed pitcher Erik Davis to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Detwiler, who missed the last 24 games with a right back muscle strain, is 2-4 with a 2.76 ERA in eight starts this season with Washington. The 27-year-old held...