nationals

Zimmermann ready for the spotlight (Game 3 to start at 1 p.m.)

October 08, 2012, 11:54am

ST. LOUIS - Jordan Zimmermann isn't going to try and trick himself into believing he's been in a spot like this before. He pitched collegiately at the University of Wisconsin Stevens-Point, a Division III school, and while he threw in the 2007 College World Series in front of about 5,000 fans, he's aware today's start in Game 2 of the National League Division Series is a far different animal. "I don't think there is anything close to this," he said. That might be the case, but no one...

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Johnson on Espinosa's struggles, his improved bench

October 08, 2012, 10:10am

Nationals

Johnson on Espinosa's struggles, his improved bench

ST. LOUIS - Danny Espinosa battled a bone bruise in his left shoulder down the stretch this season, an injury that really put him in a rut at the plate. The Nationals' second baseman got a cortisone shot on Sept. 17, and it helped him turn things around for a stretch, as he hit .400 over his next seven games. Over his final nine regular season contests, however, Espinosa's struggles returned. He batted just .103 with 12 strikeouts in 29 at-bats, and then went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts...

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Nats, Cards stick with same lineups, save for pitchers

October 08, 2012, 9:22am

Nationals

Nats, Cards stick with same lineups, save for pitchers

ST. LOUIS - Except for the pitchers, the lineups for today's Game 2 of the best-of-five National League Division Series at Busch Stadium are exactly the same as those from Game 1. Here's the Nationals batting order that will face St. Louis' Jaime Garcia: RF Jayson Werth CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman 1B Adam LaRoche LF Michael Morse SS Ian Desmond 2B Danny Espinosa C Kurt Suzuki P Jordan Zimmermann Zimmermann will face this lineup from the Cardinals: CF Jon Jay RF Carlos Beltran LF...

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A chance to break this thing open

October 07, 2012, 11:59pm

Nationals

ST. LOUIS - Just a couple days ago, there was talk that going on the road to start the postseason was a disadvantage for the Nationals. Instead of starting at home, the top-seeded Nats have their first two National League Division Series games here in St. Louis because of MLB's scheduling quirks, and that was thought to be a negative. Some fans worried that if the Nats dropped both games in St. Louis, they'd suddenly return home with their backs against the wall, with a sweep staring them...

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Ted Leavengood: Nats' first playoff win a Tilt-a-Whirl ride

October 07, 2012, 5:22pm

Nationals

Ted Leavengood: Nats' first playoff win a Tilt-a-Whirl ride

In the postseason, the highs are higher, the lows are lower. Like Tom Boswell said in his Sunday morning column, the playoffs are the "myocardial infarction games," a Tilt-a-Whirl ride that seesaws the emotions up, down and all around. True to form, when Jayson Werth came to bat in the first inning of the first playoff game ever in Nationals history, the hearts of the collective fan base were beating about 200 strokes per minute. Then Ian Desmond got the first base hit in the second inning...

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Cardinals familiar with urgency to win Game 2

October 08, 2012, 5:10am

Nationals

Cardinals familiar with urgency to win Game 2

Winning Game 1 on the road Sunday was the best-case scenario for the playoff-infant Nationals. The 3-2 comeback victory set the tone in a short series. But these are the world champion St. Louis Cardinals, and they have been in this position before. Last season, the Cardinals lost Game 1 in both the National League Division Series and the Championship Series. A look back at how the Cardinals' first two series last season ended gives you an idea of the comeback potential of this team....

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The amazing two years of Tyler Moore

October 07, 2012, 3:02pm

Nationals

After winning Game 1 in St. Louis 3-2, the Nationals now have three of the next four games in the series at home. Of course, Game 4 and Game 5 are if necessary. Trailing 2-1 after five innings, the Nationals found a way to get to a bullpen that had allowed more than one earned run just once in the last 14 postseason games. Well, that streak reached 14 of 15, but they still allowed two runs. And the Nationals' bench, another one of the team's many strengths, came through with the game's...

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Hearing from G. Gonzalez, Storen, Desmond and Werth

October 07, 2012, 6:16pm

Nationals

Hearing from G. Gonzalez, Storen, Desmond and Werth

ST. LOUIS - Just to recap today's ballgame for all those who were stuck in a cave somewhere all afternoon: National League Cy Young Award candidate Gio Gonzalez walked seven hitters, the Nationals struck out 13 times, left the bases loaded twice and made two errors in the final three innings. Oh, yeah, and they won 3-2. "I don't really know how we won that game, to be honest," reliever Craig Stammen said with a smile creeping onto his face. "But we pulled it out somehow. That's kind of...

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Werth's catch at wall helps stave off Cardinals rally

October 07, 2012, 5:39pm

Nationals

Werth's catch at wall helps stave off Cardinals rally

Every postseason story has great plays that become the trademark for a team. A huge double play. A timely run-scoring hit. A game-saving catch. The Nationals had all three Sunday in their first postseason win, a 3-2 stunner at St. Louis in the National League Division Series opener. In the bottom of the sixth, with the Cardinals leading 2-1 and David Freese at first base, second baseman Daniel Descalso launched a long fly ball to deep right field that had a very good chance of leaving Busch...

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Johnson discusses Nats' 3-2 comeback win

October 07, 2012, 4:15pm

Nationals

Johnson discusses Nats' 3-2 comeback win

ST. LOUIS - Where to begin? The Nationals took us all on a ride this afternoon, battling their way to a 3-2 win over the Cardinals in Game 1 of the best-of-five National League Division Series, despite seven walks from starter Gio Gonzalez, 10 runners left on base, two errors and 13 strikeouts as an offense. This game was bizarre as could be. It all started with Gonzalez, who somehow allowed only one hit despite completely lacking control of his fastball. The Nationals ace had perhaps his...

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Inexperience meant nothing to Mattheus, Moore in big spots

October 07, 2012, 5:30pm

Nationals

Inexperience meant nothing to Mattheus, Moore in big spots

ST. LOUIS - Remember all the talk about the vast difference in playoff experience in this National League Division Series? How the Cardinals had an edge over the Nationals because they'd been through all this before? How the Nats might be affected in big spots because of the added pressure that comes with late-inning, playoff situations? "It obviously didn't affect us," reliever Ryan Mattheus said after today's 3-2 Nationals win. Nope, it sure didn't. That isn't to say that experience...

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Gonzalez settles down, Wainwright locks in (Mattheus pulls a magic act)

October 07, 2012, 1:07pm

Nationals

Gonzalez settles down, Wainwright locks in (Mattheus pulls a magic act)

ST. LOUIS - In Gio Gonzalez's first two innings, he threw 55 pitches, only 27 for strikes. He walked five and allowed two runs. Over his next two innings of work, Gonzalez threw 28 pitches, 19 for strikes. He was able to settle down, get ahead in the count and pound the strike zone. Gonzalez faced the minimum over his third and fourth innings of work, allowing only a David Freese groundball single through the hole, which was quickly erased by a nicely turned 6-4-3 double play. Gonzalez is...

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The playoff newbies deliver (Nats win 3-2 in Game 1)

October 07, 2012, 2:25pm

Nationals

The playoff newbies deliver (Nats win 3-2 in Game 1)

ST. LOUIS - These inexperienced Nationals seem to be faring just fine, huh? A half-inning after Ryan Mattheus gets out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam with just two pitches in his first career postseason appearance, pinch-hitter Tyler Moore delivers a two-out, two-run, go-ahead single in his first ever playoff at-bat. Mercy. Moore got to a 2-2 count against Cardinals lefty Marc Rzepczynski, got a fastball down in the zone and dropped it into right field. Michael Morse and Ian Desmond came...

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Suzuki comes up big again (Gonzalez nearly melts down in the second)

October 07, 2012, 11:50am

Nationals

Suzuki comes up big again (Gonzalez nearly melts down in the second)

ST. LOUIS - Remember this note for trivia question purposes: Kurt Suzuki drove in the first run in Nationals playoff history. General manager Mike Rizzo's trade for Suzuki after the non-waiver trade deadline continues to pay major dividends. The catcher came through with a big two-out RBI single to left field in the second inning, bringing in Adam LaRoche to give the Nats a 1-0 lead. LaRoche, far from the swiftest guy on the team (and that's putting it nicely), had gone first to third on...

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Pregame chatter with the skipper

October 07, 2012, 10:12am

Nationals

ST. LOUIS - During his pregame session with reporters late this morning, Davey Johnson was asked if he said anything to his team this afternoon leading up to the first playoff game in Nationals team history. "If I had a meeting, they'd think I'm panicking or something," Johnson responded. Instead of having an organized team meeting, Johnson went around and said a few words to players individually. Part of that message was not to force anything and to treat this just like any other...

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Nationals playoff viewing party at Fairgrounds moved to Monday at 4:30 p.m.

October 05, 2012, 8:01am

Nationals

Maybe you can't watch the first playoff game in Nationals history from your favorite spot in Nationals Park. But you can still watch the historic game Sunday afternoon, and not be far away from the home team's home park. Join MASN on Sunday for its official viewing party, which will be held at Fairgrounds, right across from Nationals Park's center field gates. The fun begins at 3 p.m., just a few minutes before first pitch, at 25 M St., SE (at Half Street) Fairgrounds will be the perfect...

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Familiar lineup for NLDS Game 1 at St. Louis

October 07, 2012, 8:17am

Nationals

Familiar lineup for NLDS Game 1 at St. Louis

ST. LOUIS - The Nationals have posted their lineup for Game 1 of the best-of-five National League Division Series against the Cardinals. It looks pretty familiar. RF Jayson Werth CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman 1B Adam LaRoche LF Michael Morse SS Ian Desmond 2B Danny Espinosa C Kurt Suzuki P Gio Gonzalez Here is the Cardinals lineup that will face Gonzalez: CF Jon Jay RF Carlos Beltran LF Matt Holliday 1B Allen Craig C Yadier Molina 3B David Freese 2B Daniel Descalso SS Pete Kozma P Adam...

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A scouting report on Wainwright, plus a tie-in to Strasburg

October 07, 2012, 8:01am

Nationals

A scouting report on Wainwright, plus a tie-in to Strasburg

ST. LOUIS - I'm going to do my very best not to discuss Stephen Strasburg during the Nationals' playoff run. The story, as Strasburg would tell you, is not about him right now. He's been shut down, won't pitch in the postseason and will spend his time during games watching from the bench. But as Strasburg looks out to the mound at Busch Stadium later this afternoon, he'll see a guy who has gone through a lot of the same stuff that he has. Last season, while recovering from Tommy John...

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Nationals announce 25-man roster for National League Division Series

October 07, 2012, 7:13am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals today announced their 25-man roster for the National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Manager Davey Johnson's roster includes 12 pitchers, two catchers, six infielders and five outfielders: Pitchers (12 - 5 LHP/7 RHP) LHP Sean Burnett LHP Ross Detwiler LHP Gio Gonzalez LHP Michael Gonzalez LHP Tom Gorzelanny RHP Tyler Clippard RHP...

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How much does experience matter? Depends who you ask

October 06, 2012, 11:17pm

Nationals

How much does experience matter? Depends who you ask

ST. LOUIS - This much seems clear after yesterday - those who have playoff experience seem to believe it'll be a benefit during their current postseason run. Those who don't, well, as you might expect, they don't feel it'll hurt them much. The contrast between the Nationals and Cardinals when it comes to postseason experience is pretty dramatic. Of the 25 guys on the Cardinals' roster for the National League Division Series, a whopping 22 have played in a playoff game, and 18 of those...