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Haren hoping to turn things around against the Cards

April 22, 2013, 11:35am

The Cardinals return to D.C. today for the first time since rudely knocking the Nationals out of the 2012 playoffs in Game 5 of the National League Division Series. I'm guessing Pete Kozma won't be getting too many free beers in the district over the next three days. The Cards, like the Nats, have a 10-8 record on the season. They've won six of their last 10. Shelby Miller, St. Louis' young stud, will take the mound tonight. He's gotten off to a really nice start to the season, going...

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Returning home still searching for some answers

April 22, 2013, 5:27am

Nationals

Returning home still searching for some answers

Leading into this week's sets of games against the Cardinals and Reds, two tough, talented playoff teams from a year ago, the Nationals went on the road last week to face the two National League East teams everyone expects to finish at the bottom of the division for a second straight season. Six games against the Marlins and Mets? That'll be the remedy for whatever has been ailing this Nationals team early on this season, right? Not really. Instead of getting things back on track in Miami...

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2013 D.C. Sports Hall of Fame inductees to be honored before April 28 Reds-Nats game

April 22, 2013, 7:21am

Nationals

2013 D.C. Sports Hall of Fame inductees to be honored before April 28 Reds-Nats game

Ten new members of the Washington, D.C. Sports Hall of Fame will be honored prior to the Washington Nationals series finale against the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday, April 28 at Nationals Park. This year, the renowned sports club will enshrine the following inductees: * Elgin Baylor - Former NBA All-Star and Basketball Hall of Famer * Bobby Beathard - Former General Manager, Washington Redskins * Dave Bing - Former NBA All-Star and Basketball Hall of Famer * Maurice "Maus" Collins - Former Head...

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Marty Niland: Keep expectations realistic for Anthony Rendon

April 22, 2013, 5:28am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Keep expectations realistic for Anthony Rendon

Welcome to the big leagues, Anthony Rendon. Making his major league debut Sunday against the New York Mets, the Nationals' 2011 first-round draft pick went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts, including one to end a 2-0 loss. He made a nice foul catch in the first inning, but like the rest of the Washington offense, never got comfortable at the plate against Mets starter Dillon Gee. That might seem disappointing, but it's probably typical for a rookie who has fewer than 60 games of minor...

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Zimmerman officially lands on DL, Rendon recalled (Rendon hitting sixth)

April 21, 2013, 6:29am

Nationals

Zimmerman officially lands on DL, Rendon recalled (Rendon hitting sixth)

It's official: Anthony Rendon now finds himself on the Nationals' big league roster. The Nats have placed Ryan Zimmerman on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain this morning. The DL stint will be retroactive to April 18. Taking Zimmerman's spot on the roster - and in the Nationals' lineup - will be Rendon, the organization's top prospect according to Baseball America. The 22-year-old Rendon, who was the Nats' No. 1 pick (sixth overall) in the 2011 first-year player's...

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Harper leads extra-base barrage as Nats win 7-6

April 20, 2013, 12:41pm

Nationals

Harper leads extra-base barrage as Nats win 7-6

The Nationals treated Mets right-hander Jeremy Hefner like a guy with a 7.20 ERA, and had an lead to show for their efforts. Ian Desmond led off the second inning with his third homer of the season and Bryce Harper crushed a two-run homer into the left field stands at Citi Field in the third, staking the Nats to a 3-0 lead. But it's now 5-3 Mets in the fourth, as the Mets have battled back and taken advantage of some wildness that led to a troubling lack of composure from lefty Gio...

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Strasburg allows two homers, Mets hold Nationals to four hits (Mets win 7-1)

April 19, 2013, 3:47pm

Nationals

The Mets grabbed the early lead on Stephen Strasburg in the first inning. Ian Desmond committed his sixth error of the season on a Jordany Valdespin grounder. Later, a Strasburg wild pitch scored a run and John Buck had a two-out RBI single. Buck already has 20 RBIs early in the season. The Mets led 2-0 after one inning. The Nationals were unable to record a base hit against Matt Harvey in first two innings. Update: Strasburg and Harvey are in a pitcher's duel through five innings. The first...

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Another early miscue gets Strasburg and Nationals off on wrong foot

April 20, 2013, 3:42am

Nationals

For the second straight start, a key early fielding miscue allowed an opponent to put up multiple runs against Stephen Strasburg. Against the Braves on April 13, no score, two outs, top of the third. Atlanta's Justin Upton reaches on a throwing error by Ryan Zimmerman. Evan Gattis crushes a two-run homer. Braves win 3-1. Then last night, first batter of the game, no outs, top of the first. Mets Jordany Valdespin grounder to shortstop Ian Desmond is booted. The fielding error allows Valdespin...

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Zimmerman still missing from Nats lineup, but Espinosa returns (updated)

April 20, 2013, 8:53am

Nationals

Zimmerman still missing from Nats lineup, but Espinosa returns (updated)

Ryan Zimmerman's sore left hamstring remains an issue, and the third baseman is again out of the lineup for today's 3:05 p.m. game against the Mets at Citi Field. The game will air nationally on FOX. Zimmerman has not played since being removed from Wednesday's game against the Marlins in Miami, and Chad Tracy is again at third base in his place today. The Nationals, however, get second baseman Danny Espinosa back for today's game. Espinosa missed four games after being struck in the...

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A sweet Friday night matchup

April 19, 2013, 4:51am

Nationals

If you don't happen to have anything planned for tonight, I suggest you find a seat on your sofa or local bar stool around 7:05 p.m., and flip on MASN2 HD. Tonight's pitching matchup in New York is a really good one: Stephen Strasburg against Matt Harvey. The 24-year-old Harvey might have just 13 career starts under his belt, but he's already making quite an impression in the big leagues. Harvey has started this season 3-0 with a filthy 0.82 ERA in his three starts. He's gone 22 innings,...

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Zimmerman, Espinosa out as Nats face Mets

April 19, 2013, 11:13am

Nationals

Zimmerman, Espinosa out as Nats face Mets

The Nationals continue their road trip after a day off Thursday. Tonight it is the beginning of 17 games in 17 days with game one against the New York Mets at Citi Field. The pitching matchup features a gem with right-hander Stephen Strasburg (1-2, 2.95 ERA) facing right-hander Matt Harvey (3-0, 0.82 ERA). The big news is Ryan Zimmerman is out of the lineup. Manager Davey Johnson had talked about Zimmerman's sore hamstring after Wednesday's win over Miami. Second baseman Danny Espinosa is...

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Detwiler delivers few surprises but exceptional results

April 18, 2013, 5:44am

Nationals

Detwiler delivers few surprises but exceptional results

So let me get this straight: Bryce Harper missed Tuesday's game with flu-like symptoms and was still feeling ill on Wednesday, but talked his way into the Nationals' lineup anyway. Harper told reporters in Miami that he threw up during the second inning during last night's game and felt his head spinning at the plate. Then he goes out and smacks four hits, including a double, and drives in a run. This guy is something special, all right. And at this point, I truly don't understand any...

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Patrick Reddington: Facing Stephen Strasburg

April 19, 2013, 6:17am

Nationals

Patrick Reddington: Facing Stephen Strasburg

Then-27-year-old 2001 first-round pick Gavin Floyd downplayed the significance of facing a then-21-year-old Stephen Strasburg when the two first-round picks met for the first time during the Nats' 2009 No. 1 overall selection's rookie campaign in 2010. "It's the last thing you need to worry about, is the opposing pitcher," Floyd told MLB.com before the game in the nation's capital, "You're facing their lineup, not the opposing pitcher." The match-up brought the best out of the White...

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More of the same from Ross Detwiler (Nats win 6-1)

April 17, 2013, 4:29pm

Nationals

More of the same from Ross Detwiler (Nats win 6-1)

Ross Detwiler's third start of the season has gone much the same as his first two. And that's a good thing for the Nationals as they look to leave Miami with a series win. Through four innings tonight, Detwiler has held the Marlins scoreless, allowing four hits and striking out four. He's thrown 61 pitches thus far, 45 for strikes. In typical Detwiler fashion, he's been attacking opposing hitters tonight, throwing 56 fastballs among those 61 pitches. Despite the heavy dose of two- and...

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Rachel Levitin: Racing Presidents bring something extra to Nats' fan culture

April 18, 2013, 5:17am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Racing Presidents bring something extra to Nats' fan culture

Last Friday night, I found myself surrounded by native Chicagoans and fellow D.C. transplants at a bar near Union Station when a group of Braves fans walked in. I hadn't been able to watch the Nats-Braves game that night and didn't check my iPhone for any scores, so I decided to do the easy thing and ask those Braves fans, "Who won the game?" They cheerfully obliged my question by saying, "The Braves," with a smile on their faces. My group grabbed a table by a few folks donning Nationals...

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MASN hires Julie Alexandria as new Nationals sideline reporter

April 17, 2013, 11:51am

Nationals

There's a new member of MASN's Nationals broadcast team. MASN has hired Julie Alexandria as its new sideline reporter for Nationals broadcasts, the network confirmed this afternoon. Alexandria will begin appearing on-air as a part of MASN's in-game broadcasts as well as the "Nats Xtra" pregame and postgame shows sometime during the next homestand. Alexandria most recently worked as a sideline reporter for FOX Sports, covering college football. She was part of the broadcast team that...

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Taking a closer look at two struggling veterans

April 16, 2013, 8:59pm

Nationals

Taking a closer look at two struggling veterans

The Nationals were on the losing end of an 8-2 ballgame in Miami last night, but that's one game of 162. Of bigger concern right now are the struggles of two Nats veterans, guys who appear to be battling some confidence issues at this point. Let's start with Dan Haren. The 32-year-old right-hander, who signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Nats this offseason, was facing a Marlins team that had scored just 1.8 runs per game entering Tuesday's contest, by far the fewest in the...

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Harper returns to Nats lineup; Span, Espinosa still out

April 17, 2013, 1:08pm

Nationals

Harper returns to Nats lineup; Span, Espinosa still out

The Nationals get the reigning National League Rookie of the Year back in their lineup, but their leadoff hitter and starting second baseman are still sidelined. Bryce Harper returns to the Nationals lineup tonight after missing yesterday's game with flu-like symptoms. Center fielder Denard Span (flu-like symptoms) and second baseman Danny Espinosa (right wrist) will not start tonight's series finale against the Marlins, however. This will be the third straight game that Espinosa has missed...

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David Huzzard: For starters, Nats battling tougher early schedule in 2013

April 17, 2013, 4:52am

Nationals

David Huzzard: For starters, Nats battling tougher early schedule in 2013

Through 14 games last season, the Nationals were 10-4 coming off an 11-4 loss to the Houston Astros in their 14th game of the season. It was a hot start - and an important one, as the Phillies were missing key pieces, the Marlins weren't playing up to expectations and the Braves were missing Tim Hudson. The Nats' hot start catapulted them into a division lead they would only relinquish once during the rest of the season. It was an impressive start, but it came against the eventual 101-loss...

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Another Zimmerman error, another homer off Haren (Nats lose 8-2)

April 16, 2013, 4:34pm

Nationals

Another Zimmerman error, another homer off Haren (Nats lose 8-2)

Dan Haren was cruising through his first three innings of work. The veteran right-hander had allowed just one batter to reach, he'd struck out two and was working quickly, clearly feeling like he was in a zone. A Ryan Zimmerman throwing error with one out in the fourth brought an end to that momentum and eventually led to four Marlins runs, all of which were unearned. With one out in the fourth, Zimmerman moved to his left to glove a Placido Polanco grounder, but his three-quarters throw to...