nationals

Johnson blames himself for blown nine-run lead

July 20, 2012, 8:42pm

Tonight was the largest blown lead in Nationals/Expos history. And Davey Johnson is putting it squarely on his own shoulders. "It was probably, arguably the worst game I've ever managed in my life," said the Nationals' skipper, who has managed 16 seasons in the majors. "I've never lost a nine-run lead when it was my part of the game to handle the pitching. It'll be hard for me to sleep. I had a worse night than the guys did. It was a tough loss. But it was just one loss." It was just...

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LHP John Lannan recalled from Syracuse, OF Xavier Nady reinstated from DL & designated for assignment

July 21, 2012, 7:08am

Nationals

LHP John Lannan recalled from Syracuse, OF Xavier Nady reinstated from DL & designated for assignment

The Washington Nationals today recalled left-handed pitcher John Lannan from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Additionally, outfielder Xavier Nady was returned from rehab, reinstated from the 15-Day Disabled List and designated for assignment. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Lannan will start the second game of today's day-night doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves. The 27-year-old went 6-9 with...

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Clippard admits he hasn't been "real sharp" lately after third blown save

July 20, 2012, 8:40pm

Nationals

Clippard admits he hasn't been "real sharp" lately after third blown save

Something is going on with Tyler Clippard and he knows it. In last three outings, he has surrendered seven runs in three innings. His third blown save of the season came in an historic collapse for the Nationals, who were leading 9-0 only to fall to the second-place Atlanta Braves 11-10 in 11 innings. With his team leading 9-8 on Friday night, Clippard was handed the ball to get three outs in the ninth. Getting three outs had been something he had pretty much mastered since his return to...

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A meltdown of epic proportions (Nats fall in 11 innings)

July 20, 2012, 6:48pm

Nationals

A meltdown of epic proportions (Nats fall in 11 innings)

What was a 9-0 Nationals lead entering the sixth turned into a 10-9 deficit. How the heck did this happen? The Nats were cruising over the Braves through five, smacking Atlanta pitchers around and putting up crooked numbers. Then Stephen Strasburg got ambushed in the sixth, allowing hits to four of the five hitters he faced and getting charged with four runs. In the eighth, the Braves hit up Drew Storen and Sean Burnett for four more. Storen, who manager Davey Johnson surprisingly went to...

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Perez moved to Syracuse because "absolutely" deserved call, makes debut

July 20, 2012, 6:14pm

Nationals

Perez moved to Syracuse because "absolutely" deserved call, makes debut

The highest minor league promotion of the week goes to centerfielder Eury Perez, who moved from Double-A Harrisburg to Triple-A Syracuse. In his Syracuse debut Friday night, Perez went 1-for-4 with a fourth-inning RBI single in a 6-5 win over Norfolk. Perez had the groundball single for the run-scoring hit. On defense, Perez misplayed a ball over his head in center field but also made one nice running catch. The 22-year old hit .299 in 82 games for the Senators with two doubles, 26 stolen...

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Michael Morse demolishes a baseball, so does Ryan Zimmerman (updated)

July 20, 2012, 3:53pm

Nationals

Michael Morse demolishes a baseball, so does Ryan Zimmerman (updated)

If you're driving around the district tonight and happen to have a baseball land on your car, you can thank Michael Morse. Morse just destroyed a Tommy Hanson offering, and there's a decent chance it still hasn't landed. The Nationals have a 3-0 lead thanks to the Morse homer, which brought in Ryan Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche. Both guys reached with two outs. It's Morse's fifth home run of the season, and he's now up to 23 RBIs on the year. He took a 89 mph fastball from Hanson and...

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Johnson: Pre-deadline deals aren't needed

July 20, 2012, 2:11pm

Nationals

Johnson: Pre-deadline deals aren't needed

There have been some national media members who have said or written that they expect the Nationals to be major players before the trade deadline. Some have talked about the Nats being in the mix for a big-name position player, like Justin Upton. Others have discussed the need for the Nationals to go get another starting pitcher to fill in for Stephen Strasburg once he's shut down. I've opined that such moves aren't necessary, barring some sort of injury over the next couple weeks....

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Cordero honored to return, remembers meeting Storen

July 20, 2012, 3:13pm

Nationals

Cordero honored to return, remembers meeting Storen

Former Nationals pitcher Chad Cordero was honored by his former team by throwing out the first pitch before Friday's match-up with the Atlanta Braves. Cordero threw the pitch in flip-flops, shorts and a red Nationals uniform top with his name and number on it. The pitch was outside and high to Drew Storen, the first time they had been on the same field in eight years. Cordero was in his rookie season in 2004 in a game at Cincinnati and saw a 15-year old Storen standing in the outfield...

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Desmond returns, Werth heads out

July 20, 2012, 11:45am

Nationals

After five days out of the Nationals' starting lineup because of a sore oblique, Ian Desmond is back in there today. Desmond will start at short and hit in his normal No. 6 spot in the lineup for tonight's series opener against the Braves. That is, of course, if we play at all. The tarp is on the field and a light rain is currently falling at Nats Park. They're calling for showers pretty much all night, but with these two teams already scheduled to play a doubleheader tomorrow, they'll do...

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Werth feeling "good" stiffness in wrist, roster move on Nady coming

July 20, 2012, 1:15pm

Nationals

Werth feeling "good" stiffness in wrist, roster move on Nady coming

The Nationals are optimistic they'll be able to play tonight's game despite the rainy forecast for the D.C. region tonight. Should tonight's game get rained out before it starts, though, the Nats will just push their starters back and give Stephen Strasburg the ball for the first game of tomorrow's doubleheader. That would mean John Lannan wouldn't be needed tomorrow, which would be a tough break for the lefty, who's already in D.C. Piggybacking on MASNsports.com's Pete Kerzel's...

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Rendon "looks good" physically after two games for GCL Nats, plus Purke update

July 20, 2012, 1:40pm

Nationals

Rendon "looks good" physically after two games for GCL Nats, plus Purke update

Anthony Rendon has returned to playing baseball again. Now with the Gulf Coast league Nationals, he has played two games with no complications from his rehabbing ankle. On Thursday, he played three innings and went 0-for-2 with no defensive touches. Friday, he played seven innings and went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. His two-run double was to left field in the top of the fourth. He was called out on strikes and had a swinging strikeout in his first two at-bats. He popped out to...

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Set to square off against a red-hot division foe

July 20, 2012, 7:15am

Nationals

Set to square off against a red-hot division foe

You know what's tough? Waking up and reading reports about the horrific movie theater shooting in Colorado and then trying to refocus on sports. Truly awful stuff, and awful that it happened in a town which is apparently about 20 miles from Columbine. After opening the second half by playing four against the Marlins and then three against the Mets, the Nationals now move on to face the next division rival in their path - the Braves. The Nats are just working their way up the NL East...

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Confirmed: Perez to Syracuse, Goodwin to Harrisburg, Souza to Potomac

July 19, 2012, 6:32pm

Nationals

Confirmed: Perez to Syracuse, Goodwin to Harrisburg, Souza to Potomac

The movement of prospects continues today within the Nationals organization, this time on the offensive side. MASNsports.com has confirmed that outfielder Eury Perez has been promoted from Double-A Harrisburg to Triple-A Syracuse. Perez was hitting .300 with 30 RBIs, 26 stolen bases and 34 runs scored in 81 games with the Senators. The biggest jump in classifications belongs to speedy outfielder Brian Goodwin. A club source confirms Goodwin has been bumped two levels from Single-A Hagerstown...

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Werth scratched from rehab start with Single-A Potomac

July 20, 2012, 12:31pm

Nationals

Werth scratched from rehab start with Single-A Potomac

WOODBRIDGE, Va. - If you were planning on heading to Pfitzner Stadium for Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth's injury rehabilitation assignment with the Single-A Potomac Nationals tonight, you may want to readjust your Friday evening plans. Werth has been scratched from tonight's game. In fact, he never even made it to Prince William County. Serveral minutes ago, he was spotted in the home clubhouse at Nationals Park. Based on the traffic gridlock I saw while zooming through the HOV lane on...

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Storen's long-awaited 2012 debut an impressive one

July 19, 2012, 1:43pm

Nationals

Storen's long-awaited 2012 debut an impressive one

When Drew Storen sprinted in from the Nationals Park bullpen for the first time this season, he heard "Bad Company" blaring over the stadium speakers, saw the fans give him a standing ovation and thought back on the last four months, which have been pretty rough on him professionally. "It was pretty emotional for me, to be honest with you," Storen said. "It's hard to explain, but it is honestly one of the best feelings in the world to have the fans appreciate me being back out there. ......

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Dierks Bentley to perform final NatsLive postgame concert at Nationals Park

July 20, 2012, 6:39am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals announced today that the NatsLive Post-Game Concert Series has been extended to include a free performance by Dierks Bentley after the Nationals face the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday, September 22. "I'm really glad we're getting another chance to play at Nationals Park," Bentley said. "There's nothing more fun on a summer afternoon than a baseball game and some country music." The CMA Award winning singer/songwriter recently released his sixth Capitol...

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Marty Niland: Hail to "The Chief" and Cordero's return for first-pitch ceremony

July 19, 2012, 6:49pm

Nationals

Marty Niland: Hail to "The Chief" and Cordero's return for first-pitch ceremony

For fans who have followed the Nationals since they moved from Montreal, it's not hard to forget the last time they were in first place this late in the season - that wonderful summer when baseball returned to the nation's capital in 2005. A big part of that success will be at Nationals Park tonight to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for the opening of this weekend's National League East showdown with Atlanta. "The Chief," Chad Cordero, has been in town to conduct a celebrity...

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Plenty of positives from 9-5 loss (plus Lannan, Desmond notes)

July 19, 2012, 1:16pm

Nationals

Plenty of positives from 9-5 loss (plus Lannan, Desmond notes)

It's easy to look at a 9-5 loss to a division rival and say not much went right. Gio Gonzalez got hit hard and lasted just 3 1/3 innings, his shortest outing of the year. Craig Stammen didn't fare much better in relief. Bryce Harper went 0-for-5, the Nationals were 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position and they left 12 on-base. But Davey Johnson isn't looking at today's loss that way. He doesn't view this as a missed opportunity to earn a sweep and won't leave Nats Park frustrated...

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Gonzalez endures shortest outing of season, "felt a little flat"

July 19, 2012, 1:26pm

Nationals

Gonzalez endures shortest outing of season, "felt a little flat"

That was a rare experience to see Gio Gonzalez not get to the fifth inning in a start for the Nationals. Coming into Thursday's assignment against the Mets, Gonzalez had gone at least five frames in 16 of his initial 18 starts in a Nationals uniform. There was June 3 when he lasted only 4 2/3 innings in a loss against the Braves. You had to go back to the opening week and his Nationals debut to see a shorter stint, just 3 2/3 innings in a no-decision April 7 at the Cubs. But Gonzalez lasted...

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Christmas in July at Nationals Park this weekend

July 19, 2012, 4:54pm

Nationals

Just writing the title of this entry makes me wanna run jump into my Santa suit. On, Dasher! On, Dancer! On, Prancer and Vixen! On, Strasburg! On, Harper! On, Desmond, um ... Wait, I'm getting confused. Anyway, this weekend when the Nationals host the Braves, the team will host its annual Christmas In July Toy Drive to benefit the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Throughout the weekend series, volunteers from the U.S. Marines Corps Reserve will accept donations of new,...