nationals

Detwiler survives early extra base hits to post win over Cubs

May 10, 2013, 7:00pm

Nationals left-hander Ross Detwiler allowed six doubles Friday night. The Cubs scored two runs early in the game. But Detwiler also tossed 6 2/3 innings, did not allow a walk, struck out two and surrendered just those two runs. Detwiler got early run support and ended up with the victory in a 7-3 decision. "It was terrible on my part for those two runs," Detwiler said. "I came back out and gave up another run to tie the game. That is something that I got to get better at. Our offense...

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Slowly but surely, defensive numbers trending upward

May 11, 2013, 6:27am

Nationals

Slowly but surely, defensive numbers trending upward

Not only has Ian Desmond been productive this season, he's also been clutch. According to Elias, all five of Desmond's home runs this season have given the Nationals the lead. Last night, it was a two-run shot in the fourth that broke open a 2-2 tie and led the Nats to a 7-2 win. Desmond now has 19 extra-base hits this season, tops among all major league shortstops. The Yankees' Robinson Cano is the only other middle infielder to match Desmond's number of extra-base knocks. Defensively,...

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Desmond talks near-cycle, Werth talks trip to DL

May 10, 2013, 7:19pm

Nationals

Desmond talks near-cycle, Werth talks trip to DL

There have only been two cycles in Nationals history. Brad Wilkerson and Cristian Guzman delivered those, and Wilkerson's wasn't even the main story that day, because it came in the first Nationals win after the team relocated to D.C. Ian Desmond had a shot to join that club today, as he delivered a single, home run and double in his first three at-bats of the night. He ended up falling a triple short of his first professional cycle, with a groundout to short in the eighth marking the lone...

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Detwiler leaves in line for the win (Nats beat Cubs 7-3)

May 10, 2013, 5:14pm

Nationals

Detwiler leaves in line for the win (Nats beat Cubs 7-3)

If you needed another example of why wins are a flawed stat for pitchers, take a look at Ross Detwiler. The guy leaves his start tonight with a 2.53 ERA on the season, and if tonight's score holds, this will mark just his second win in seven starts. Detwiler exited tonight's game after 6 2/3 innings of work, having scattered eight hits and allowed just two runs. He stuck out two and walked none, throwing 90 pitches, 57 for strikes. The Nationals' left-hander has allowed no more than three...

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Johnson discusses Nats' 7-3 win (with Werth and Harper updates)

May 10, 2013, 6:49pm

Nationals

Johnson discusses Nats' 7-3 win (with Werth and Harper updates)

Ian Desmond led the charge in the Nationals' 7-3 win over the Cubs tonight, going 3-for-4, coming up a triple shy of the cycle and notching three RBIs. According to Davey Johnson, this offensive outburst came after Desmond noticed he'd made an unintentional adjustment that might have been affecting his timing at the plate. Desmond told Johnson that he noticed he'd moved up in the box a bit recently, and while his positioning might have been just a couple inches closer to the pitcher than...

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Injuries leaving Nats depleted in opener vs. Cubs (with lineups)

May 10, 2013, 1:52pm

Nationals

Injuries leaving Nats depleted in opener vs. Cubs (with lineups)

With Jayson Werth heading to the disabled list and Bryce Harper out after having minor surgery to get rid of an ingrown toenail, the Nationals are two outfielders short tonight. That will leave Roger Bernadina starting in right field and Tyler Moore starting in left. Bernadina is hitting .129 on the season. Moore is batting .163. Ryan Zimmerman will move back up to his familiar No. 3 spot in the order with Harper out, Adam LaRoche will hit cleanup and Ian Desmond will bat fifth. Davey...

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Werth heading to DL, Harper out after minor foot operation (updated)

May 10, 2013, 12:54pm

Nationals

Werth heading to DL, Harper out after minor foot operation (updated)

It looks like Jayson Werth will need to land on the disabled list, after all. Werth hasn't played since May 2 against the Braves because of a tight right hamstring, and all along, the Nationals have felt that Werth would need just a few days off and then would be able to return to the lineup. The veteran outfielder suffered a bit of a setback today, however, as his hamstring went into spasm while doing leg curls. Manager Davey Johnson said that the leg curls are a part of Werth's standard...

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Suzuki getting the job done on both sides of the ball (Nats break it open)

May 10, 2013, 4:05pm

Nationals

Suzuki getting the job done on both sides of the ball (Nats break it open)

Kurt Suzuki gave the Nationals the lead in the bottom of the second and then made a tremendous play a half-inning later to ensure the Cubs didn't grab the lead right back. Up with two on and two outs in the second, Suzuki smoked a Jeff Samardzija fastball off the right-center field wall. Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa both came around to score, giving the Nationals a 2-1 lead over the Cubs. This marks Suzuki's first two-RBI game since April 17. The Cubs came right back with back-to-back...

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Soriano quietly taking care of business

May 10, 2013, 6:06am

Nationals

The Nationals' No. 4 and 5 hitters are starting to put it together. Ryan Zimmerman went 3-for-4 with an RBI yesterday, bumping his average up to .239 on the season. Adam LaRoche added two hits and an RBI yesterday, as well, and he's now getting closer to the Mendoza line, hitting .196 on the season. Over his last six games, LaRoche is 9-for-17 (.529) with a .625 on-base percentage. The power isn't there from these two Nats sluggers yet - they've combined for just four home runs and 22...

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Werth likely to miss weekend series (with notes on Harper, Espinosa, LaRoche)

May 03, 2013, 2:11pm

Nationals

Werth likely to miss weekend series (with notes on Harper, Espinosa, LaRoche)

PITTSBURGH - Tonight's game will mark the third in the last four days that Jayson Werth has needed to sit out due to injury. Werth will likely miss the Nationals' next two games, as well. Manager Davey Johnson said that Werth's tight right hamstring will probably keep him out of the Nationals lineup through the end of the three-game series against the Pirates that starts tonight. The Nationals have an off-day on Monday, so if Werth doesn't play at all this weekend, he could go into...

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Werth joins the untuck club, updates his health

May 05, 2013, 9:38am

Nationals

Werth joins the untuck club, updates his health

PITTSBURGH - The untuck club is slowly gaining members. Rafael Soriano's trademark post-save celebration of untucking his jersey from his pants on the field is picking up traction in the Nationals clubhouse. And Jayson Werth is the latest to get in on the action. Ian Desmond followed Soriano's lead by violently untucking his jersey after a Soriano save in Atlanta. Following that game, Desmond tried to convince Werth to join the club, as well. Last night, after seeing Roger Bernadina make a...

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Zimmermann gets another test tonight (Werth still out)

May 07, 2013, 11:37am

Nationals

Zimmermann gets another test tonight (Werth still out)

The tarp is on the field at Nationals Park and the raindrops are coming down sideways at a pretty rapid rate. I have absolutely no inside information on whether tonight's game will be played. Reporters just scan the forecast on Weather.com like the rest of you. But I can tell you that the forecast doesn't look great. That's about the extent of my meteorology knowledge for the time being. I'll obviously keep everyone posted with the latest updates once I hear anything. If tonight's game...

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Werth still out of Nats lineup

May 08, 2013, 11:36am

Nationals

It's perfectly dry and sunny here at Nationals Park at the moment, but I had to dodge some huge rain drops on my drive to the stadium a bit ago. The radar for tonight shows mostly clear skies around first pitch, but there are also patches of rain that could swoop through. Let's hope for the best as the Nationals and Tigers try and get in the opener of this two-game series after last night's rain out. Despite the dry conditions at the moment, Davey Johnson's lineup for tonight still does...

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The latest update on Jayson Werth (we're under way)

May 08, 2013, 2:03pm

Nationals

The latest update on Jayson Werth (we're under way)

Congratulations go out to Nationals hitting coach Rick Eckstein and his wife Caroline, as the couple welcomed the birth of their first child, a girl named Isabelle. Manager Davey Johnson reports that both mother and baby are doing well, and the Nats should have their hitting coach in the dugout for tonight's game against the Tigers. That is, if tonight's game gets played. The tarp is on the field here at Nats Park and rain has been falling for the last hour or so. As always, I'll keep...

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Johnson discusses Nats' 3-1 win (Werth to get MRI)

May 08, 2013, 8:11pm

Nationals

Johnson discusses Nats' 3-1 win (Werth to get MRI)

Another fantastic pitching performance from Jordan Zimmermann, another homer from Bryce Harper and another save notched by Rafael Soriano. The Nationals picked up a 3-1 win over the Tigers tonight, with Zimmermann leading the way yet again. Despite pitching on six days' rest and dealing with a 57-minute rain delay before first pitch, Zimmermann allowed just one run over seven innings against a Tigers team that came into today batting a robust .285. "Well that was a good one," manager...

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Werth to miss fifth straight game, Bernadina in left (updated)

May 09, 2013, 9:42am

Nationals

Werth to miss fifth straight game, Bernadina in left (updated)

Jayson Werth is out of the Nationals' lineup for a fifth straight game with a tight right hamstring. Bryce Harper will play right field again in Werth's absence, and Roger Bernadina will man left field this afternoon against the Tigers. Nationals manager Davey Johnson said that an MRI on Werth's hamstring looked good upon first glance, but team medical director Dr. Wiemi Douoguih will give the test results a more careful examination later today. Werth has been put on antibiotics to try and...

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Johnson discusses Nats' 5-4 win, mini-sweep

May 09, 2013, 4:24pm

Nationals

Johnson discusses Nats' 5-4 win, mini-sweep

This little two-game series between the Nationals and Tigers was billed by some as a potential World Series preview. It's just two games in May, of course. But the Nationals played two pretty smooth ballgames the last two days, picking up wins over the reigning American League champions in each despite a comeback effort today by Detroit. The Nats held a 5-1 lead after two innings, but Matt Tuiasosopo's pinch-hit, three-run homer in the sixth made things interesting. In the end, the Nats...

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Nats teeing off on Fister (Nats win 5-4)

May 09, 2013, 1:05pm

Nationals

Nats teeing off on Fister (Nats win 5-4)

The rain is picking up at Nationals Park, but so is the Nats' offensive production. The Nats have put up five runs and seven hits off Tigers starter Doug Fister through two innings. Fister has retired just six of the 15 batters he's faced. This is the same Doug Fister who hadn't allowed more than three runs in any of his previous six starts this season. Denard Span has scored twice in two innings, Roger Bernadina has a bunt single and a walk, and Ryan Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche are both...

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Nationals not making statement by beating Tigers, just playing good baseball

May 09, 2013, 4:13pm

Nationals

MLB Network ran a story before the Tigers-Nationals series began on the matchup as a possible World Series preview. On paper, both teams have very strong starting pitching and power bats in their lineup. The Nationals were able to win both games of the short two-game series, taking the finale Thursday, 5-4. The Tigers' Victor Martinez was only able to pinch-hit in each game because of the use of pitchers in the batting lineup under National League rules. Jayson Werth was out with a sore...

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A few successful starts under his belt, Haren settling in

May 09, 2013, 11:57am

Nationals

A few successful starts under his belt, Haren settling in

Following his last start here at Nationals Park, a win over the Reds on April 27 in which he allowed two runs and struck out five over six innings, Dan Haren said he finally felt like part of the team. In some ways, it was just a light-hearted comment that made reporters chuckle. In other ways, it was evidence of what Haren has needed to deal with early this season as he tries to adjust to a new team with legitimate World Series aspirations. Haren came in with a one-year, $13 million...