Nationals manager Davey Martinez had hoped he would be able to get seven innings out of his starter, Max Scherzer, in Monday's Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the Dodgers. If that could occur, he would then turn it over to Sean Doolittle and Daniel Hudson in the final two innings.
The scenario played out to an extent in Game 2. In that game, Stephen Strasburg finished six innings. Then, Martinez went to Doolittle, Scherzer and Hudson to get three innings and preserve the...
Ryan Zimmerman was sitting next to Max Scherzer in the interview room at Nationals Park late Monday night, the pair of 35-year-olds talking about their immense contributions to their team's stave-off-elimination victory in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, when the inevitable question was raised.
"Zim, your contract's expiring, and this could be your last game before a home crowd," the out-of-town reporter began. "Did you have any extra oomph at your at-bats, especially with...
The Nationals had left-hander Sean Doolittle warming up in the seventh inning. His club was facing elimination but led 6-1 in Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the Dodgers at Nationals Park.
Max Scherzer had allowed only three hits and one run in six frames against the vaunted Dodgers lineup. He had thrown 82 pitches.
But then he fought through the seventh, firing 27 more pitches, and willed his team within six outs of a must-win game
The Dodgers' Corey Seager flew out to...
The Nationals' chances of beating the Dodgers in this National League Division Series have always rested on the shoulders of the very best players on their roster. They don't have the depth to compete with the 106-win champions of the NL West, but they do have the star power at the top of their roster to make them sweat.
And so with their season hanging by a thread tonight in Game 4 of the best-of-five series, the Nats turned to the best they had to keep the 2019 campaign alive and well for...
Victor Robles took a full round of batting practice this afternoon. He was not, however, in the Nationals lineup for Game 4 of the National League Division Series, with club officials not wanting to take any chances he might severely injure his already strained right hamstring.
"He's still a little bit sore," manager Davey Martinez said. "He'll be available to pinch-hit, but that's it."
Robles, who hurt himself trying to run out a bunt during Game 2 at Dodger Stadium on Friday night, did...
Ryan Zimmerman returns to the Nationals starting lineup tonight at first base for Game 4 of the National League Division Series with his club trailing the Dodgers two games to one in the best-of-five series. He will bat sixth behind second baseman Howie Kendrick.
Tonight will be Zimmerman's 23rd postseason game. He has a career .294/.338/.500 slash line in the playoffs, with five doubles, five walks, three homers and 10 RBIs. He has a pretty good track record in big games, especially a game of...
The Dodgers were able to jump out on top early against the Nationals in Game 4 of the National League Division Series. Facing Max Scherzer, Justin Turner blasted a solo homer to left-center field on a 95.5 mph fastball. Turner's second postseason homer came on an 0-1 pitch with two outs in the top of the first. He now has nine career postseason homers, which is third all-time in Dodgers history.
Scherzer got out of the inning allowing just that one run. Corey Seager had a double in the second...
The Nationals need to win tonight to extend their season. Much of the talk has been about their bullpen struggles all season, but the bottom line in this National League Division Series against the Dodgers is that if the offense doesn't get going tonight, it will be all over anyway.
So far in the NLDS, the Nats have managed just eight runs on 18 hits over the three games, and were shut out once. The Nats have not scored more than four runs in any of the three games. They trail in the...
Imagine you were presented with this scenario on May 24. Or July 24. Or even Sept. 24, for that matter.
The Nationals are facing the Dodgers in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, with Max Scherzer on the mound, needing to win to force a Game 5 in which they'd have Stephen Strasburg on the mound.
Would you have taken that opportunity? Just know this: The Nationals themselves are happily taking it.
"I think we're really comfortable right now, even though our backs are against the...
This is the fourth time the Nationals have trailed two games to one in a best-of-five series. Twice in the past, they've gone on to win Game 4 (Jayson Werth's walk-off homer in 2012, Stephen Strasburg's dominant start at Wrigley Field in 2017) and force a Game 5. Once they lost and were eliminated (Aaron Barrett and Matt Thornton in San Francisco in 2014).
What does tonight hold in store for us? Well, Max Scherzer is on the mound, and if he's in peak form, obviously the Nationals have a...
With the Nationals clinging to a 2-1 lead after five innings in pivotal Game 3 of the National League Division Series, manager Davey Martinez opted to have left-hander Patrick Corbin relieve starter AnÃbal Sánchez.
"AnÃbal was at 87 pitches. He gave us all he had. We were at a good spot in the lineup where we thought Corbin could get through it," Martinez said. "And his stuff was good, he's throwing 94 (mph), slider was good. I think he left one ball up. But he had every hitter...
In electing to start AnÃbal Sánchez tonight for Game 3 of the National League Division Series and hold Max Scherzer back for Game 4, the Nationals mapped out what felt like a viable path to victory.
They were confident in Sánchez's ability to hold the Dodgers lineup in check, but they also were confident in Patrick Corbin's ability to replace him at some point and serve as tonight's much-needed bridge from starter to back end of the bullpen.
So when the very scenario they had...
Victor Robles will not start in tonight's National League Division Series Game 3 due to a mild strain of his right hamstring. Nationals skipper Davey Martinez said Robles is available as an "emergency" pinch-hitter.
"He had a MRI and it's a very, very mild strain," Martinez said. "His right hamstring. If need be, on an emergency (basis), he'll be available to pinch-hit. As we all know how Victor plays, he wanted to play today, but I really believe that it's best that ... we get him...
The Nationals pitchers held power-hitting Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger to a single and a double with no RBIs on Sunday night.
The only problem? Both hits came in the same inning.
The Dodgers scored seven runs in the sixth inning to beat the Nationals 10-4 in Game 3 of their National League Division Series before 43,423 at Nationals Park.
The Dodgers lead the best-of-five series two games to one and need one more win to advance to their fourth consecutive NL Championship Series, against...
Juan Soto blasted a two-run shot over the center field wall to put the Nationals on top in the first inning of Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Nats Park.
Soto became the eighth player in Major League Baseball history under 21 to hit a home run in a postseason game.
AnÃbal Sánchez has six strikeouts, including punching out the side in the second.
The Dodgers left the bases loaded in the first. Sánchez allowed two walks and a single to Justin Turner, but got out of the...
The conversation took place late Friday night, after the Nationals had hung on for a dramatic 4-2 win over the Dodgers to even up their best-of-five National League Division Series. Max Scherzer, who made a surprise 14-pitch relief appearance to help make that win possible, and Davey Martinez met in the Dodger Stadium clubhouse to decide when the ace would next start: Game 3 tonight or Game 4 on Monday.
The decision wasn't complicated. The already well-rested AnÃbal Sánchez would start...
The Nationals now look to get greedy after knotting the best-of-five National League Division Series at one game apiece with a thrilling 4-2 win over the Dodgers on Friday night in Los Angeles. Now they enjoy home field advantage with the next two games at Nationals Park.
The Nats have decided on AnÃbal Sánchez as their Game 3 starter. Max Scherzer, who was scheduled to start today, threw 14 pitches in a shutout eighth inning in Game 2. Sanchez has not pitched since Sept. 25 and has...
AnÃbal Sánchez will start Game 3 of the National League Division Series tonight, giving Max Scherzer an extra day to recover from his relief appearance before the Nationals ace likely starts Game 4 against the Dodgers on Monday.
The Nationals had delayed making a decision on tonight's starter, wanting to see how Scherzer felt in the wake of his dominant, 14-pitch relief outing in Game 2 on Friday night. Originally announced as their Game 3 starter, Scherzer instead will be held back and...
"Just have fun."
It's almost as common a phrase as the "go 1-0 today" you pretty much hear every game day from Nationals manager Davey Martinez.
And really the "fun" is more or less just relaxing at the plate, relaxing on the mound.
But can you have fun before 53,086 at Dodger Stadium in the most important game of the year, after the Nationals had scored zero runs in the series opener? In the playoffs? Against a 106-win team that has been to back-to-back World Series?
Easier said than...
The Nationals spent most of their Saturday in the sky, electing to get a full night's sleep in Los Angeles following their intense Game 2 win over the Dodgers and take a charter flight that wasn't scheduled to arrive back in Washington until after 8 p.m.
It gave them plenty of time to think back to all the critical moments in Friday night's game at Dodger Stadium, all the moves that worked to even up the National League Division Series at one game apiece.
It also gave them plenty of time to...



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