nationals

An offensive explosion in Colorado (Nats win 12-5)

June 26, 2012, 7:04pm

I guess the Nationals were getting a little tired of everyone talking about how much their offense stinks. They've exploded for 12 runs and 16 hits tonight, and have only played six innings. The most runs the Nats had scored in a game this season prior to tonight was nine. They'd already matched that total by the end of the fifth inning. Every hitter in the lineup with the exception of Bryce Harper has a hit. Adam LaRoche has two home runs. Tyler Moore has a three-run shot which I'm not...

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Nationals lineup remains the same

June 26, 2012, 1:09pm

Nationals

The Nationals have averaged just 2.5 runs over their last 10 games. Despite the offensive slump, Davey Johnson is sticking with the same lineup tonight that he's used recently against left-handed starters. Washington will face Rockies lefty Christian Friedrich tonight, he of the 4-4 record and 5.65 ERA. Friedrich has gotten the loss in each his last three starts. Yet again, the Nats will get a chance to tee off against a guy with mediocre numbers this season. Gio Gonzalez will look to reach...

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Rachel Levitin: Nats no longer the new kids in the class

June 27, 2012, 5:00am

Nationals

Rachel Levitin: Nats no longer the new kids in the class

When I leave to go out of town on trips, like today for example, my favorite topic of conversation along the way tends to veer toward sports, baseball in particular. Whether I'm listening in on a stats-based debate or checking game scores on one of the many televisions within the terminal, there's always a lesson to be learned from these types of conversations. There's a little more to those conversations than what appears on the surface, though. It's one thing to strike up a sports...

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Zimmerman to receive Lou Gehrig Memorial Award

June 26, 2012, 6:22pm

Nationals

Zimmerman to receive Lou Gehrig Memorial Award

As I type this, Ryan Zimmerman just reached a career milestone. With a single in the fifth inning in Colorado on Tuesday night, the Nats third baseman collected his 1,000th-career hit, needing only 903 games in which to do so. It's a great accomplishment, particularly for a guy who has battled some nagging injuries in recent memory. And while Zimmerman continues to achieve greatness on the field, it stands to reason things would be the same off the diamond. That certainly rings true, as it...

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Strasburg gives up lead after hitting Scutaro in head

June 25, 2012, 7:23pm

Nationals

Strasburg gives up lead after hitting Scutaro in head

Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals held a 2-1 lead over the Rockies entering the bottom of the sixth inning. Strasburg gave up a leadoff triple to Dexter Fowler. He then drilled Marco Scutaro in the head with a first-pitch, 95 mph fastball. After staying on the ground for a few seconds, Scutaro got up and talked things over with a trainer. He left the game, but appeared to be OK. The Nationals' lead wasn't OK. Immediately after hitting Scutaro, Strasburg grabbed his hat off his head. He...

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Outfielder Destin Hood returns to lineup; Marrero update in Syracuse

June 26, 2012, 12:08pm

Nationals

Outfielder Destin Hood returns to lineup; Marrero update in Syracuse

Right fielder Destin Hood has recovered from his wrist injury and returns to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators' lineup. Hood completed his rehab assignment with the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays, going 3-for-17 (.176) with a double, two walks and seven strikeouts. Hood was hitting .220 in 41 games with the Senators, but injured his wrist and had a bout with the flu that slowed his season. He has just one homer, but had 19 RBIs and five stolen bases before the time off. But his...

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Strasburg not affected after hitting Scutaro, but upset with Rockies rally

June 25, 2012, 8:48pm

Nationals

Strasburg not affected after hitting Scutaro, but upset with Rockies rally

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg looked pretty good again Monday, but allowed three runs in the 4-2 loss to the Rockies in Denver. A loss by Strasburg is as rare as oxygen at the higher elevations of the Mile High City. It was his first setback since May 15. Fresh off of striking out the side in the fifth and his team clinging to a 2-1 advantage, Colorado put together three hits and benefited from a hit batter to start a rally that would end up winning the game. Following a Dexter Fowler...

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Nationals reliever Cole Kimball will start tonight for Potomac (updated)

June 25, 2012, 9:11am

Nationals

Right-hander Cole Kimball continues to make his way back to the Nationals. The 26-year-old will start for the high Single-A Potomac Nationals tonight when they host Wilmington. Kimball, recovering from rotator cuff surgery last July, was 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA over 14 innings with the Nationals in 2011. He has appeared in two games so far at low Single-A Hagerstown and the Gulf Coast Nationals. During his rehab assignments, Kimball has gone two innings without allowing a run, with just two...

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Every game's a close one, plus DeRosa update (DeRosa activated, Nady to DL)

June 25, 2012, 12:17pm

Nationals

Every game's a close one, plus DeRosa update (DeRosa activated, Nady to DL)

Manager Davey Johnson said on Saturday that Mark DeRosa was mere days away from returning to the Nationals after a lengthy absence due to a left oblique strain. The veteran infielder's return could end up being today. DeRosa's rehab assignment with Single-A Potomac has ended and the Nationals could decide to activate him before tonight's game at Colorado. If DeRosa is added to the 25-man roster today, Xavier Nady, Roger Bernadina and Tyler Moore are candidates to be dropped from the...

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Nationals lineup in the Mile High City

June 25, 2012, 1:22pm

Nationals

Stephen Strasburg (9-1, 2.46 ERA) will oppose Jeff Francis (0-1, 8.56 ERA) tonight at Coors Field. The difference in those stat lines jumps out at you just a bit, doesn't it? Francis' numbers this season aren't exactly what you'd call impressive, but the veteran lefty did allow just one earned run his last time out against the Phillies. The Rockies are currently working with a four-man rotation, and they're capping their starters' pitch counts at 75 in order to keep them fresh....

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Looking back on a tough five-week span

June 25, 2012, 5:33am

Nationals

Lost in the late-inning dramatics of yesterday's 2-1 loss to the Orioles might be the performance of Ross Detwiler, who worked five shutout innings before giving way to the bullpen. It was Detwiler's first start in nearly a month, and he battled through an inconsistent strike zone and some fatigue late in his outing to give the Nationals a strong effort. "I've got to tip my hat to Det. Det pitched a gutty ballgame," manager Davey Johnson said. "He went to his maximum pitches, he gave us...

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This one goes to 11: Meyer and Karns shine with spectacular strikeout tallies

June 25, 2012, 7:21am

Nationals

This one goes to 11: Meyer and Karns shine with spectacular strikeout tallies

High Single-A Potomac right-hander Nathan Karns turned in another sterling performance Sunday for the P-Nats. Karns, with a career high 11 strikeouts in his longest outing of his career, worked eight innings in a 7-1 victory over the Wilmington Blue Rocks from Woodbridge, Va. The 24-year-old Karns (2-2) allowed only two hits and just one run in his fourth start with Potomac, dropping his ERA from 4.15 to 3.00 and making a case to win Carolina League Pitcher of the Week for the second...

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Zimmerman has painkilling shot, hopes to avoid DL stint

June 24, 2012, 3:01pm

Nationals

Zimmerman has painkilling shot, hopes to avoid DL stint

If you were wondering what allowed Ryan Zimmerman to finally look like Ryan Zimmerman today, there's an answer to that. For the first time in quite a while, Zimmerman wasn't playing with discomfort in his right shoulder. Before today's game, Zimmerman received a painkilling shot in the shoulder. It was a trial run of sorts. The Nationals were hoping to find something which would allow Zimmerman to continue playing but find some semblance of the offensive production that he typically...

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Nats bullpen finally serves one up

June 24, 2012, 2:07pm

Nationals

The Nationals' relievers have been spectacular this season. Tyler Clippard, Sean Burnett and Craig Stammen - to name a few - have performed as well as they have at any point in their careers. But given the number of tight ballgames the Nationals have played and one-run leads their bullpen has had to protect, finishes like today's will happen. Burnett, who came into the ballgame with a stellar 1.04 ERA on the season, was tasked with holding a 1-0 lead in the eighth inning. Six pitches into...

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Hagerstown's Goodwin, Skole shine; Perry solid in Double-A; Marrero optioned to Chiefs

June 23, 2012, 7:54pm

Nationals

Hagerstown's Goodwin, Skole shine; Perry solid in Double-A; Marrero optioned to Chiefs

The Single-A Hagerstown Suns put on another offensive show Saturday night with a 10-8 victory over the Lakewood Blueclaws. A big part of that power display was from outfielder Brian Goodwin, the 34th overall selection in 2011, who smashed two homers and drove in four runs. Goodwin has four homers in the past five games with nine RBIs. It was his first four-hit game of the season. Hagerstown pitching coach Mark Harris said the 21-year-old has made good progress at the plate since returning...

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Ted Leavengood: Pitching to contact

June 25, 2012, 4:44am

Nationals

The three contests played by the Orioles and Nationals this weekend were more like soccer matches, as fans watched for small shifts in momentum amid long scoreless stretches. Each team had their scoring chances, but it was the sudden, late scoring strike by Matt Wieters on Sunday that tilted the series toward Baltimore. What made it work for the Orioles, however, was how well their three best starters matched up well against the bottom three in the Nationals rotation in a series that was all...

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Storen reacts to news he'll work in set-up role

June 24, 2012, 8:42am

Nationals

Storen reacts to news he'll work in set-up role

Last night, Davey Johnson announced that when Drew Storen is activated after his rehab stint, he'll likely work out of a set-up role with Tyler Clippard remaining the Nationals' closer. Today, Storen reacted to that news. "It's fine. He's supporting the guys that have gotten this team where it's at," Storen said. "Tyler's been that guy, and he's been that guy for the two to three years that he's been here. So he's supporting him. At the same time, I know when I come back, I'm...

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Detwiler back with a bang (Nationals lose 2-1)

June 24, 2012, 11:19am

Nationals

Remember what Ross Detwiler looked like for the first month of the season? If you're watching today's game, you sure do. Making his first start in nearly a month, Detwiler has found his old form. He's thrown five shutout innings, allowing just four hits and striking out three. Detwiler did get into some trouble a few times this afternoon, loading the bases in the fourth and allowing runners to reach second and third in the fifth. But both times he got a fly ball out to end the inning,...

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Kimball pitches another shutout inning in rehab stint; Rendon update

June 22, 2012, 7:48pm

Nationals

Kimball pitches another shutout inning in rehab stint; Rendon update

Nationals right-hander Cole Kimball, recovering from major rotator cuff surgery in his right shoulder, made another successful rehab appearance, this time at low Single-A Hagerstown. Kimball started for the Suns, going one inning, allowing one hit and no runs and striking out two batters. The Suns started him because there were weather concerns in Hagerstown, and they wanted to make sure Kimball got his work in. No details on his velocity were immediately available, but Kimball threw a...

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No no-no for Jackson (Nats win 3-1)

June 23, 2012, 4:59pm

Nationals Orioles

The first 12 Orioles hitters that stepped to the plate tonight were all set down by Edwin Jackson. I'm no expert, but I believe if Jackson had retired the next 15 batters he saw, that would have been kind of a big deal. Instead, the perfect game and no-hitter both were blown up in the span of three hitters in the fifth inning. Adam Jones reached on a Ryan Zimmerman fielding error leading off the frame, (and man, was that a tough error considering how hard the ball was hit,) and two batters...