nationals

Strasburg fans 11 over six innings (Nats win 4-2)

September 18, 2018, 4:16pm

MIAMI - Right-hander Stephen Strasburg started off well with a 1-2-3 first inning where he had to throw only seven pitches. In the second he allowed a leadoff homer by Peter O'Brien. After hitting Brian Anderson with a pitch, it looked like something bad was about to happen. But Strasburg got control of the inning with three impressive strikeouts in a row of Lewis Brinson, Austin Dean and Magneuris Sierra. He began the third by catching his counterpart right-hander Sandy AlcÃ¡ntara looking...

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Game 152 lineups: Nats at Marlins

September 18, 2018, 10:11am

Nationals

MIAMI - The Nationals still had a shot to hold on to their lead in the sixth inning and then again a chance to stay in the game when they tied at 5-5 in the seventh. But each time the Marlins put together a rally highlighted by multiple walks and multiple hits. The Marlins rallied to win 8-5 Monday night in the series opener at Marlins Park. Reliever Jimmy Cordero surrendered four consecutive hits in a three-run Marlins rally in the sixth that turned a 4-2 lead into a 5-4 deficit. Reliever Koda...

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Nats bullpen falters despite early lead in 8-5 loss

September 17, 2018, 7:24pm

Nationals

Nats bullpen falters despite early lead in 8-5 loss

MIAMI - The Nationals bullpen was unable to hold the lead Monday night against the Marlins, relinquishing an early 4-0 cushion that turned into an 8-5 setback at Marlins Park. Right-hander Erick Fedde allowed only three baserunners in the first four frames on one hit. But in the fifth, he walked the first two batters, then surrendered a two-run double to Starlin Castro that got the Marlins on the board. Fedde ended up with four walks. Manager Davey Martinez said Fedde's pitch count rose when...

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Robles' adjustment at dish nets big game; Rendon electric at plate

September 18, 2018, 3:44am

Nationals

Robles' adjustment at dish nets big game; Rendon electric at plate

MIAMI - Center fielder Victor Robles had a big game offensively Monday and made another nice catch in the outfield in the Nationals' 8-5 setback. The third inning homer was his first in the major leagues. In the seventh, his hard-hit single kept a rally alive as the Nationals plated the tying run in the frame at 5-5. Robles caught a deep drive at the wall in center field to save a huge inning in the sixth off the bat of Starlin Castro. The young outfielder finished 2-for-4 with a homer and an...

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Martinez believes Fedde is a potential No. 3 or No. 4 starter

September 17, 2018, 2:22pm

Nationals

Martinez believes Fedde is a potential No. 3 or No. 4 starter

MIAMI - Right-hander Erick Fedde is looking to put another solid start together as he faces the Marlins for the first time in his career. On Sept. 11, he worked 5 2/3 scoreless innings in a 3-1 win over the Phillies. He allowed just two hits, two walks and struck out a career-high nine batters. Manager Davey Martinez believes that Fedde can continue that good fortune tonight if he focuses on his game plan and doesn't get strikeout happy. "He could be a really good pitcher," Martinez said....

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How the Nats stacked up in the end with the Braves, Phillies

September 16, 2018, 8:58pm

Nationals

How the Nats stacked up in the end with the Braves, Phillies

There are only 12 games remaining on the Nationals' 2018 schedule, and all of those games will come against the Marlins, Mets and Rockies. Which means there are no more opportunities to gain ground on the two clubs that have sat above them in the National League East all summer via head-to-head wins. No, the Nats have seen the last of the Braves and Phillies this season. Barring a miracle, Atlanta is going to emerge as division champs for the first time in five years. Philadelphia is 6 1/2...

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Robles connects on first major league homer (Nats fall 8-5)

September 17, 2018, 4:07pm

Nationals

Robles connects on first major league homer (Nats fall 8-5)

MIAMI - The wait for Victor Robles' first career homer is over after the Nationals center fielder crushed a Trevor Richards offering deep over the left-center field wall in the third. The blast bounced just to let of the 427-foot walkway above the orange-painted back outfield wall. Two batters later, Anthony Rendon tucked a line drive two-run shot just inside the left field foul pole. The Nats ended up with three runs in the third. The Nats had jumped ahead of Miami on the first thanks to a...

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Game 151 lineups: Nats at Marlins

September 17, 2018, 9:16am

Nationals

MIAMI - The Nationals wrap up what was supposed to be a three-city road trip (interrupted by the return last Thursday to D.C. for the makeup game against the Cubs) in South Florida for a pair of games against the last-place Marlins (58-91). The Nats (76-74) have won the first two series on the trip, sweeping the Phillies in Philadelphia and taking two of three from the Braves at Atlanta, and are now 39-37 on the road. The club has recently demonstrated what it is when everyone is playing well:...

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Opposite dugout: Fried fish playing out the string, trying to avoid 100 losses

September 16, 2018, 7:03am

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Fried fish playing out the string, trying to avoid 100 losses

Manager: Don Mattingly (3rd season) Record: 58-91 Last 10 games: 3-7 Who to watch: C J.T. Realmulto (.282 with 21 HR, 71 RBIs), 2B Starlin Castro (.280), RF Brian Anderson (59 RBIs), LF Derek Dietrich (16 HR, 45 RBIs), RHP Sandy Alcantara (2-0, 1.42 ERA), RHP Kyle Barraclough (10 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 5-9 Pitching probables: Sept. 17: RHP Erick Fedde (2-3) vs. RHP Trevor Richards (3-9), 7:10 p.m., MASN Sept. 18: RHP Stephen Strasburg (8-7) vs. RHP Sandy Alcantara (2-0), 7:10 p.m.,...

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Harper, Rendon lead Nats to series win in Atlanta (updated)

September 16, 2018, 12:53pm

Nationals

Harper, Rendon lead Nats to series win in Atlanta (updated)

ATLANTA - They took two of four from the Cubs in a stretch that required a doubleheader and a special trip back to D.C. for a makeup game. They took three of three from the Phillies in a series that required a doubleheader when blowtorches couldn't dry out a soaked infield for the opener. And now the Nationals have taken two of three from the Braves to cap off a wild week of rain, late nights, long games, extra travel and the dodging of a hurricane. All of this, of course, came too late and...

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Marty Niland: Strong finish could set Nats up for future, as it did in 2011

September 17, 2018, 6:01am

Nationals

Marty Niland: Strong finish could set Nats up for future, as it did in 2011

With wins in seven of their last nine games and three straight series victories under their belts, the Nationals seem determined to close out the 2018 season on a high note and set the tone for a winning 2019. It brings to mind the 2011 Nats season, when they won 14 of their last 17 games and eight of their last 10 to finish with their best record since 2005 at 80-81. Keep in mind that this was a team that had never finished with a winning record since moving to Washington and was a year...

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Soto shows off legs with three steals in win

September 15, 2018, 6:46pm

Nationals

Soto shows off legs with three steals in win

ATLANTA - Juan Soto has made a name for himself throughout the baseball world this season. For what he has done with his bat. Not his legs. Until Saturday, when Soto showed off a part of his game few previously knew existed: his ability to run. The Nationals' rookie phenom stole three bases in a 7-1 victory over the Braves, including third base on the front end of a double steal. He entered the day with only two stolen bases in the major leagues. He finished it with five. "That feels pretty...

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Eaton won't slow down as season winds down (Nats up 5-2)

September 16, 2018, 9:03am

Nationals

Eaton won't slow down as season winds down (Nats up 5-2)

ATLANTA - Given what he's been through in the last 18 months - a torn ACL and sprained ankle, rehab from those injuries, the discovery of further injury to his ankle and rehab from another surgery - you might think Adam Eaton would be taking it easy here as the Nationals' season winds down. You would, of course, be wrong. Eaton is playing more regularly now than he did earlier in the season, when the Nats were still in the thick of the race. He has started 17 of the team's last 20 games,...

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Rodriguez great in relief again as Nats walk to 7-1 win (updated)

September 15, 2018, 12:49pm

Nationals

Rodriguez great in relief again as Nats walk to 7-1 win (updated)

ATLANTA - Jeremy Hellickson wanted to get an opportunity to close out his season on a high note. That won't happen now after the right-hander re-injured his right wrist, not by pitching but by hitting in the top of the fourth this afternoon at SunTrust Park. Disappointed as they were to see Hellickson go down again, though, the Nationals couldn't help but be encouraged by what they saw from Jefry Rodriguez, the right-hander who took over on the mound and made another strong case for inclusion...

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Game 150 lineups: Nats at Braves

September 16, 2018, 7:11am

Nationals

ATLANTA - The week began with a game in Philadelphia that had to be postponed not because it was raining but because it had rained and the infield couldn't be brought back to life in time. It continued with a makeup game in D.C. that the Cubs didn't want to play out of fear of Hurricane Florence (which at that point was centered more than 400 miles south of Washington). And now the week concludes with one more game at SunTrust Park, where the sun mostly shone Friday and Saturday but has now...

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Hellickson reinjures wrist while batting (Nats lead 5-1)

September 15, 2018, 10:58am

Nationals

Hellickson reinjures wrist while batting (Nats lead 5-1)

ATLANTA - Jeremy Hellickson's return from a sprained right wrist lasted only three innings after the Nationals pitcher appeared to reinjure the wrist while batting. Hellickson, making his return one month after he hurt himself bracing for a fall while covering the plate following a wild pitch, looked perfectly healthy on the mound during his three innings against the Braves. He allowed one unearned run (though that was a result of his own throwing error on a pickoff attempt) on two hits and...

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Soto and AcuÃ±a enjoying rookie battle

September 15, 2018, 8:34am

Nationals

ATLANTA - Not that he has needed any motivation to get himself excited for every game he's played this season, but Juan Soto couldn't help but notice the fellow phenom left fielder across the field from him Friday night and feel a little extra motivation. "Yes," the Nationals 19-year-old said when asked about facing Braves 20-year-old Ronald AcuÃ±a Jr. "It feels pretty good. That's how you compare - you and me - and see who can do that there and who can do that, you know? I feel pretty...

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Game 149 lineups: Nats at Braves

September 15, 2018, 6:52am

Nationals

ATLANTA - It's going to be another scorcher here today. We saw what the heat and humidity did to Max Scherzer's cap and jersey last night. Now imagine what it's going to do to Jeremy Hellickson's gear today in a 1:05 p.m. with sun covering the entire field. Hopefully clubhouse manager Mike Wallace has plenty of extra caps and jerseys at the ready. Hellickson makes his return after a month on the disabled list with a sprained right wrist, suffered when he tried to break his fall while...

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Harper upset with umpire but avoids first ejection of season

September 14, 2018, 8:58pm

Nationals

Harper upset with umpire but avoids first ejection of season

ATLANTA - Bryce Harper has made a concerted effort not to be ejected from a game this season, something that has happened at least once in each of his previous six big league seasons. And with only two weeks to go, he's been successful, though Laz Diaz certainly tested the slugger's newfound calm demeanor Friday night. Harper and Diaz jawed back and forth multiple times during the Nationals' 10-5 loss to the Braves, though truth be told the plate umpire was the more animated of the two. And...

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Scherzer labors through short start in loss to Braves (updated)

September 14, 2018, 7:29pm

Nationals

Scherzer labors through short start in loss to Braves (updated)

ATLANTA - It was muggy at SunTrust Park tonight, no question about that. Muggy enough to cause Max Scherzer to sweat straight through his jersey and cap in only two innings? Yes. Still, the way he labored and looked as exhausted as he's ever going to look on a baseball diamond, it seemed fair to wonder if Scherzer was dealing with something else, if he simply wasn't feeling as well as he needed to feel to pitch in a big league game on a muggy Friday night. "Just the conditions," Scherzer...