nationals

Johnson discusses Nats' 6-4, 10-inning win

September 29, 2012, 8:46pm

ST. LOUIS - Well this one sure didn't lack excitement. The Nationals jumped on top of the Cardinals 4-0 in the first inning on the most bizarre grand slam you'll ever see, punctuated by a Michael Morse fake swing. They then allowed three runs in the seventh inning and blew a save in the ninth, sending the game to extra innings. Kurt Suzuki followed that just minutes later with a two-out, tie-breaking double off the wall in left-center, and Craig Stammen earned his first career save in the...

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Morse on his grand slam and fake swing: "It was just such a crazy moment"

September 29, 2012, 9:19pm

Nationals

Morse on his grand slam and fake swing: "It was just such a crazy moment"

ST. LOUIS - Michael Morse has been playing baseball for the bulk of his 30 years on this earth. I think it's fair to say he's never seen anything like what we saw in the first inning of tonight's game, when Morse needed to run the bases backwards and then essentially hit a grand slam without a bat in his hands. "I think anybody (has)," Morse said with a smile. "That was something different." If you haven't seen the clip of Morse's grand slam, do yourself a favor and check it out now....

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Save the champagne for at least another day (Nats win 6-4 in 10 innings)

September 29, 2012, 5:57pm

Nationals

Save the champagne for at least another day (Nats win 6-4 in 10 innings)

ST. LOUIS - The Nationals will not clinch the National League East title tonight, regardless of what happens here at Busch Stadium. The Braves have just put the finishing touches on a 2-0 win over the Mets down in Atlanta, meaning that even with a win over the Cardinals tonight, the Nationals' magic number will only be cut to one. They'll have to wait until tomorrow, at the earliest, to wrap up the division title. The Mets threatened in the ninth against Braves closer Craig Kimbrel, but...

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The most bizarre grand slam in the history of Major League Baseball (updated)

September 29, 2012, 3:53pm

Nationals

The most bizarre grand slam in the history of Major League Baseball (updated)

ST. LOUIS - The Nationals lead 4-0 after the top of the first thanks to what is easily one of the strangest scenes I've ever witnessed on a baseball field. Up with the bases loaded and none out, Michael Morse went with a Kyle Lohse, first-pitch, two-seam fastball and drove it to right. The ball bounced off an advertisement banner just above the right field wall and kicked back on the field. The guys on the bases for the Nationals all seemed to think the ball was gone and Morse should have...

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Suzuki's clutch hit another example of his importance to Nationals' success

September 29, 2012, 6:51pm

Nationals

The amazing emergence of catcher Kurt Suzuki has been another example of how general manager Mike Rizzo finds a way to make the right choice in a time of need for the Nationals. With a major injury to starter Wilson Ramos, Rizzo was looking for a veteran backstop who could handle a young pitching staff. He focused on Suzuki, who had hit well in his career and had done a good job over the years of throwing runners out, something the Nationals had struggled with in 2011. Suzuki was brought in...

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Get ready to scoreboard watch (plus more playoff rotation notes)

September 29, 2012, 2:59pm

Nationals

Get ready to scoreboard watch (plus more playoff rotation notes)

ST. LOUIS - It's not difficult to keep tabs on the out-of-town scores at here Busch Stadium. They've got an entire big screen dedicated strictly to what's going on around the rest of the majors, so the scores kind of jump out and smack you in the face. The Nationals will be glancing up at that scoreboard throughout the night tonight, keeping tabs on what's going on down in Atlanta. Should the Mets beat the Braves, and if the Nats win as well, Davey Johnson's team will get to break into...

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Can Harper get to 25 in the final week?

September 28, 2012, 11:03am

Nationals

Can he get to 25 home runs? Of course, it is possible. The amazing rookie season of Bryce Harper continues into its final week of the regular season. With six games remaining before the postseason, Harper needs three homers to tie Tony Conigliaro's 1964 rookie home run record as a teenager. In that season, Conigliaro hit .290 in 111 games with 24 homers and 52 RBIs. This season, Harper has hit .264 with 21 homers, 17 stolen bases and 58 RBIs in 133 games. He has hit a home run in his last...

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An intriguing pitching matchup tonight (with lineups)

September 29, 2012, 11:46am

Nationals

An intriguing pitching matchup tonight (with lineups)

ST. LOUIS - We should have a good one at Busch Stadium tonight. Both Jordan Zimmermann and Kyle Lohse, tonight's starting pitchers, rank in the top seven in ERA in the National League going into tonight's game, so we can expect quite the pitchers' duel. Of course, I said pretty much the same exact thing back on Sept. 1, when these pitchers faced off at Nationals Park. What happened then? Zimmermann allowed eight runs over 3 2/3 in his worst start of the season, while Lohse gave up eight...

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The champagne will be in the house

September 29, 2012, 12:54am

Nationals

ST. LOUIS - It's not often that a 10-run loss in the heat of a playoff race can be brushed aside so quickly. Fortunately for the Nationals, they're in a position that allowed last night's 12-2 loss to the Cardinals to be put in the rear-view mirror as soon as they walked out of Busch Stadium. Yes, they got whooped up on to the point that they'd essentially thrown in the towel in the fifth inning. It wasn't the prettiest game of the season, that's for sure. But thanks to the New York...

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Jackson takes the blame, ready to move on

September 28, 2012, 9:06pm

Nationals

Jackson takes the blame, ready to move on

ST. LOUIS - Edwin Jackson, much like Ross Detwiler a few nights ago, put full blame on himself for his sub-par outing in the Nationals' 12-2 loss. "Today's game was just very disappointing and embarrassing," Jackson said after allowing nine runs in 1 1/3 innings. "When your club is in a pennant race and you have a game like that, it definitely leaves a bitter taste in your mouth that you did absolutely nothing to give your team a chance to win." What was the major issue tonight? You...

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Johnson discusses Nats' 12-2 loss

September 28, 2012, 8:26pm

Nationals

ST. LOUIS - Edwin Jackson has been very, very good at times this season. Tonight was not one of those times. The Nationals' righty went just 1 1/3 innings tonight, allowing nine runs (eight earned). He gave up six hits, walked four and got only one swing-and-miss all night, which is incredibly low for a power pitcher who usually has no problem missing bats. Manager Davey Johnson tried to give Jackson a chance to pitch out of trouble and eat up innings, but it just wasn't happening. He had...

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Taking a quick peek ahead to the playoff rotation alignment

September 28, 2012, 3:38pm

Nationals

Taking a quick peek ahead to the playoff rotation alignment

ST. LOUIS - It's hard to believe - from my perspective, at least - but tomorrow will mark the start of the last regular season turn through the Nationals' rotation. Jordan Zimmermann will take the ball for the Nats tomorrow and then not pitch again until the postseason. As I mentioned earlier, the rotation alignment for the final four games of the regular season will depend on when the Nationals are able to clinch the division title. Manager Davey Johnson will have options when it comes to...

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A silver lining (Nats lose 12-2)

September 28, 2012, 6:31pm

Nationals

ST. LOUIS - Davey Johnson has waved the white flag tonight, emptying his bench with the Nationals trailing 9-1 in the middle innings. But even with the blowout here in St. Louis, the Nats still can clinch the NL East title tomorrow night, thanks to the Mets. The Braves lost to the Mets 3-1 tonight, cutting the Nationals' magic number to two. A Nats win and a Braves loss tomorrow, and the division title belongs to Washington. See, you got something positive out of tonight. For what it's...

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Jackson smacked around in St. Louis

September 28, 2012, 5:31pm

Nationals

ST. LOUIS - It's safe to say this is not how Edwin Jackson envisioned his return to St. Louis going. Facing the team he helped to a World Series title last season, Jackson went just 1 1/3 innings tonight, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits. He walked four and struck out none, and leaves with the Nationals trailing 9-1. Those of you who were still wrapping up dinner during the early innings, you missed a bit of action. It was clear from the start that Jackson just wasn't there....

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Various notes and lineups from St. Louis

September 28, 2012, 12:34pm

Nationals

Various notes and lineups from St. Louis

ST. LOUIS - Hello from good old Missouri, and more specifically, the press box at Busch Stadium. The Gateway Arch is currently staring me right in the face as I look out on this field for the first time in person. It's a nice park, and I'm looking forward to experiencing the St. Louis baseball atmosphere I've heard so much about. And I'm serious when I say I've heard a ton about how great the in-game environment is here. These St. Louis fans better step their game up tonight and make...

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Perfect timing for a return to form

September 27, 2012, 11:00pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - Three down, three to go. The Nationals are half-way through their final road trip of the season, and after a few days in Philly, it's off to St. Louis for three games against a Cardinals team trying to lock up the NL's final Wild Card spot. The earliest the Nationals can now clinch the division is Saturday. You won't find anyone in the clubhouse looking past tonight's game, but after what the Nats accomplished in Philadelphia, they've set themselves up to close this thing...

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Johnson discusses Nats' 7-3 win

September 27, 2012, 7:52pm

Nationals

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals aren't getting any help from the Braves lately. Atlanta just keeps on rolling, winning 10 of their last 12. So the guys in the Nationals' clubhouse are taking the mentality that they'll just have to go ahead and clinch the NL East title without any help from the team nipping on their heels. "I know if we win three more, we're in, we win the pennant," manager Davey Johnson said. "That's all I want everybody in that room to figure on." The magic number was...

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A long homer, a nifty catch and an impressive turnaround

September 27, 2012, 8:35pm

Nationals

A long homer, a nifty catch and an impressive turnaround

PHILADELPHIA - The play of tonight's game, in the eyes of the Nationals' relievers, at least, was not Danny Espinosa's over-the-shoulder sliding catch of a John Mayberry pop up, Ryan Zimmerman's running, off-balance throw to get Chase Utley in the fifth or Michael Morse's laser beam home run in the sixth. It was actually Tom Gorzelanny's catch of Morse's second home run of the night, which landed in the Nationals' bullpen. Gorzelanny saw the ball coming down into the bullpen, took off...

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Could Lannan replace Gorzelanny on postseason roster?

September 27, 2012, 7:43am

Nationals

Could Lannan replace Gorzelanny on postseason roster?

With the postseason beginning next Friday(!), the Nationals will have to make a decision on their pitching roster for the second season. Starters Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann, Edwin Jackson and Ross Detwiler are set. But an interesting alteration that might occur is the possible addition of left-hander John Lannan and right-hander Christian Garcia to the postseason roster. Lannan improved to 4-0 with a 4.23 ERA in the Nationals' 8-4 win over the Phillies on Wednesday night, going 5 1/3...

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Michael Morse is putting on a show (magic number cut to three)

September 27, 2012, 5:08pm

Nationals

Michael Morse is putting on a show (magic number cut to three)

PHILADELPHIA - I'm guessing that Michael Morse's injured hand and wrist are feeling just fine tonight. Morse already has two home runs and four RBIs through three at-bats, helping the Nationals to a 6-3 lead over the Phillies. The first Morse home run was in the air for about 78 years before finally coming down just barely over the left field fence. It was an absolute rainmaker, giving Morse his 15th homer of the season. The second Morse longball was just demolished out to center. Morse...