Potomac has chance to move closer to playoffs tonight versus Frederick

Potomac has chance to move closer to playoffs tonight versus Frederick
High Single-A Potomac Nationals shut out Frederick 3-0 in a rain-shortened affair Saturday night to move within one game of the Keys and two games of the division with a week to play. Tonight, in an early 6:05 start, the P-Nats can complete the sweep of the Keys. Left-hander Robbie Ray (4-11, 4.52 ERA) gets the call against left-hander Tim Berry (4-5, 4.52). On Saturday, right-hander Matt Swynenberg scattered five hits and four walks, but managed to keep the Keys off the scoreboard. Jason...
    

Espinosa leading off as Nats face Lee (plus brief Morse, Desmond updates)

Espinosa leading off as Nats face Lee (plus brief Morse, Desmond updates)
PHILADELPHIA - Cliff Lee has one more win than Orioles first baseman Chris Davis this season. He has two more wins than you and I. Baseball is such a strange game. Lee leads the majors in strikeout-to-walk ratio and his 3.78 ERA is far from awful. But his record this season is just 2-7, an incredibly bizarre mark this late in the season for a pitcher as talented as he is. The lefty will oppose Jordan Zimmermann this afternoon in what should be a pretty nice battle for the final game of this...
    

Potomac Nationals name 35th anniversary team

Potomac Nationals name 35th anniversary team
The fans voted for the Potomac Nationals' 35th anniversary team, and it is an impressive lineup, featuring home run hitters Albert Pujols, Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla, and pitchers Andy Pettitte and Dan Haren. Potomac Franchise 35th Anniversary Team C - Jorge Posada (1993) 1B - Albert Pujols (2000) 2B - Adam Kennedy (1997-78) SS - Rafael Belliard (1981) 3B - Roberto Bonilla (1985) OF - Bernie Williams (1988) OF - Barry Bonds (1985) OF - Magglio Ordonez (1995) P - Andy Pettitte...
    

Johnson talks after Nats' 4-2 loss

Johnson talks after Nats' 4-2 loss
PHILADELPHIA - For the second time in as many nights, the Nationals fell behind the Phillies early, battled back in the middle innings, allowed a big insurance run in the eighth and dropped a game to their division rivals. This one was a 4-2 loss which saw Gio Gonzalez allow three runs over six innings. The key tally was a sixth-inning solo home run off the bat of John Mayberry which turned a 2-2 game into a one-run Phillies lead. "Felt like a replay of last night," manager Davey Johnson...
    

Nats far from concerned over three-game mini-skid

Nats far from concerned over  three-game mini-skid
PHILADELPHIA - Look out, everyone. The Nationals have lost three games in a row. The best team in baseball is starting to fall apart. "Three! Ugh. We're ready to quit," Ryan Zimmerman said last night, tongue firmly planted in cheek. "Everything's going to go into shambles." In all seriousness, from the reaction of many fans on Twitter last night, you'd think the Nationals' season was crumbling to the ground. They've dropped three straight games, yes, but still hold the best...
    

Johnson talks injuries, Harper, Dodgers trade

Johnson talks injuries, Harper, Dodgers trade
PHILADELPHIA - Davey Johnson said last night that he planned to give Ian Desmond the weekend off to let him deal with his strained right hamstring before hopefully having him back against the Marlins on Tuesday. The same likely goes for Michael Morse, who is dealing with some tenderness in his right hand after getting hit by a pitch last night. If Morse doesn't play tomorrow, he'd have a chance to capitalize on three straight days off, including Monday's off-day. "I don't see any chance...
    

Another shaky start, another knock by Lombardozzi (another loss to Phils)

Another shaky start, another knock by Lombardozzi (another loss to Phils)
PHILADELPHIA - For the second straight night, a Nationals starter got hit around pretty good in the first inning but rebounded to keep his team in the ballgame. For seemingly the 10th time this month, Steve Lombardozzi delivered a big hit in the fifth, tying this game at 2-2. The Nats fell in an early hole when Gio Gonzalez allowed four of the first five Phillies hitters to reach in the first inning, plating two runs for the home team. Gonzalez recovered, however, minimizing the damage and...
    

Morse, Desmond missing from Nationals lineup

Morse, Desmond missing from Nationals lineup
PHILADELPHIA - There's no Michael Morse or Ian Desmond in the Nationals lineup against the Phillies tonight. Here's the batting order that will face Roy Halladay at 7:05 p.m.: 2B Steve Lombardozzi CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman 1B Adam LaRoche RF Jayson Werth LF Roger Bernadina SS Danny Espinosa C Kurt Suzuki P Gio Gonzalez Morse, who was removed from last night's game after being struck by a pitch in the first inning, reports that the swelling has gone down but that the hand feels...
    

To Johnson, winning the division is the only option

To Johnson, winning the division is the only option
PHILADELPHIA - When Major League Baseball made the decision to add another wild card in each league this year, most fans and baseball analysts came out in support of the idea. The decision would create more excitement over the final weeks of the season, people said, keeping more teams in the playoff picture deep into September and creating the possibility for added dramatic finishes. Davey Johnson wasn't so keen on the idea of a second wild card, however. In the mind of the Nationals...
    

Johnson on Espinosa's stolen base attempt, plus notes

Johnson on Espinosa's stolen base attempt, plus notes
PHILADELPHIA - The injuries to Michael Morse and Ian Desmond left the Nationals a little shorthanded against the Phillies tonight. But they weren't about to blame their 4-2 loss on their missing cleanup hitter and All-Star shortstop. "It changes the game a little bit," manager Davey Johnson said. "But we had the right guys up at the right time, just didn't get it done." "At the end of the day, we're comfortable with anybody we put on the field regardless of what happens," Edwin...
    

Morse has a bad bruise, Desmond has a hamstring strain

Morse has a bad bruise, Desmond has a hamstring strain
PHILADELPHIA - The bad news is the Nationals' run of injuries continues. The good news is that neither Michael Morse nor Ian Desmond should be out of the Nationals' lineup all that long. X-rays on Morse's hand came back negative after the Nationals' outfielder got hit on the right hand by a Kyle Kendrick pitch in the first inning of tonight's game. The injury looked bad at the time, as Morse dropped to his knees in pain as he got attended to by a trainer, but manager Davey Johnson said...
    

Potomac, in playoff form, grabs first game against Frederick

Potomac, in playoff form, grabs first game against Frederick
It seemed like a must-win situation Friday for the high Single-A Potomac Nationals, down three games to the Frederick Keys with three scheduled games over the weekend. One down, two to go after a 6-4 win over Frederick on Friday night. Displaying his best stuff since the beginning of the season, right-hander Robert Gilliam (1-1) came up clutch and kept the Keys at bay, going 7 2/3 innings. He allowed six hits, two runs, one walk and had eight strikeouts. Gilliam faced 28 batters, tallying six...
    

Morse leaves game after hit-by-pitch, Giolito having Tommy John (updated)

Morse leaves game after hit-by-pitch, Giolito having Tommy John (updated)
PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals' offense has been clicking on all cylinders lately, largely thanks to the fact that they finally had all their players healthy. That's suddenly not the case anymore. Ian Desmond was scratched from tonight's game (albeit for precautionary reasons) because of a right knee injury, and less than 10 minutes after first pitch, Michael Morse had to leave after being hit in the right hand with a pitch. Morse took an 84 mph Kyle Kendrick changeup squarely on his hand...
    

Nats can't touch Kendrick (Nats lose 4-2)

Nats can't touch Kendrick (Nats lose 4-2)
PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals just can't seem to solve Kyle Kendrick this season. Against teams who don't wear a Curly W on their helmets, Kendrick has been average at best, making 15 starts and pitching to a 4.52 ERA. In starts against the Nationals, Kendrick has put up a 1.50 ERA over 18 innings. The Phillies right-hander has now made three starts against the Nats this season. Tonight, he's thrown six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits in the process. Overall, Kendrick has been...
    

Suzuki, Desmond both in Nats lineup

Suzuki, Desmond both in Nats lineup
PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals kick off a brief five-game road trip tonight against the Phillies, who come into this three-game set riding a bit of an emotional high after last night's walk-off win over the Reds. The Cincinnati loss puts the Nats three games up on the Reds in the loss column for the best record in baseball. The Nats also got some help from the Giants last night, as the Braves dropped a game out west to push them 6 1/2 games back in the National League East. The Nats will send...
    

Revisiting a couple of criticized spring predictions

Revisiting a couple of criticized spring predictions
Before the start of the 2012 season, a late-August series between the Nationals and Phillies at Citizens Bank Park might have sounded like a highly dramatic divisional clash. Instead, this upcoming three-game series in the City of Brotherly Love will pit a first-place team against one which sits 19 1/2 games back in the National League East. Given the Phillies' issues this season and the tear the Nats have been on, I wouldn't be surprised to see a good amount of Curly Ws in the stands over...
    

Nats extend Tracy's contract through 2013 (with quotes); Desmond scratched

Nats extend Tracy's contract through 2013 (with quotes); Desmond scratched
PHILADELPHIA - Rewarding one of their most productive bench bats this season, the Nationals have extended the contract of veteran infielder Chad Tracy through the 2013 season. Tracy signed a minor league deal with the Nats this winter after playing the 2011 season in Japan. The 32-year-old battled for a roster spot in camp and admitted that if he hadn't made the Nationals' 25-man roster, he might have opted for retirement. But Tracy earned a roster spot as a left-handed bat off Johnson's...
    

Meyer back to grooving; notes on Garcia and Perez

Meyer back to grooving; notes on Garcia and Perez
Just in case you were worried Alex Meyer's six runs allowed in his last start would be habit forming, the 6-foot-9 right-hander was back to his normal self Thursday. Meyer allowed just one run on five hits in six innings, notching the victory over Carolina, 7-5. Meyer struck out three batters and walked two, leaving with a 6-1 lead. He is now 3-2 with a 2.31 ERA in seven starts for the P-Nats. Overall, he has tossed 129 innings and has struck out 139 batters. The next step will be the...
    

Detwiler's importance down the stretch

Detwiler's importance down the stretch
Ross Detwiler went 5 1/3 innings yesterday, allowing two runs in a loss to the Braves. For much of the first four innings, however, Detwiler was on point. He was locating his fastball, pounding the zone and using his two-seamer to let Braves hitters beat the ball into the ground. After the game, Davey Johnson expressed a desire to see Detwiler mix in his off-speed pitches a bit more, but overall, the Nationals like the way Detwiler has relied more on his fastball lately, attacking hitters and...
    

Marty Niland: Forget jinxes, Nats are going to the playoffs

Marty Niland: Forget jinxes, Nats are going to the playoffs
Don't read this if you are superstitious. Is the word "playoffs" taboo in your household? Do you use euphemisms to talk about that sort of thing? Then maybe you can find a new argument about the Stephen Strasburg shutdown to read. Believe in jinxes? Stop here. This is for fans who dare to dream. Because the Nationals are going to the postseason. Not only that, they will win the National League East and have home-field advantage as deep as they go. There. It's been said. It's not the...