nlds - Blog

Corbin on how Dodgers feasted on his normally elusive slider

October 06, 2019, 9:07pm

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 SÃ¡nchez. "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...

Comments

Tags:

byron kerr davey martinez dodgers nationals patrick corbin yan gomes featured_sidebar nlds frontstory_nationals3

After seven-run sixth, Nationals' season on brink (updated)

October 06, 2019, 7:44pm

Nationals

In electing to start AnÃbal SÃ¡nchez 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 SÃ¡nchez'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...

Comments

Tags:

anibal sanchez davey martinez juan soto los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime nlds patrick corbin wander suero featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

When they most needed it, Dodgers manufacture a rally to take command of NLDS

October 06, 2019, 8:49pm

Nationals

When they most needed it, Dodgers manufacture a rally to take command of NLDS

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...

Comments

Tags:

cody bellinger dave roberts dodgers frontstory_nationals4 kike hernandez mel antonen nationals nlds

Soto's early homer sets tone in Game 3 (Nats fall 10-4)

October 06, 2019, 4:51pm

Nationals

Soto's early homer sets tone in Game 3 (Nats fall 10-4)

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 SÃ¡nchez has six strikeouts, including punching out the side in the second. The Dodgers left the bases loaded in the first. SÃ¡nchez allowed two walks and a single to Justin Turner, but got out of the...

Comments

Tags:

adam eaton anibal sanchez byron kerr juan soto nationals frontfeatured_nationals nlds

Scherzer: Holding back for Game 4 "probably the best thing"

October 06, 2019, 2:36pm

Nationals

Scherzer: Holding back for Game 4 "probably the best thing"

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 SÃ¡nchez would start...

Comments

Tags:

anibal sanchez davey martinez los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman max scherzer nationals nationals pastime nlds featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

SÃ¡nchez gets nod for Game 3 tonight

October 06, 2019, 7:26am

Nationals

AnÃbal SÃ¡nchez 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...

Comments

Tags:

anibal sanchez los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman max scherzer nationals nationals pastime nlds featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Plenty of questions for Nationals to answer before Game 3

October 05, 2019, 10:38am

Nationals

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...

Comments

Tags:

anibal sanchez davey martinez los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman max scherzer nationals nationals pastime nlds patrick corbin victor robles featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Nats' biggest names embracing expanded roles in October

October 04, 2019, 11:45pm

Nationals

Nats' biggest names embracing expanded roles in October

LOS ANGELES - The Nationals have pitched 26 innings of postseason baseball so far this week, all of them high-stress, high-stakes innings, with one game officially must-win and another game ostensibly must-win. Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin have pitched 21 of those 26 innings. Daniel Hudson and Sean Doolittle have pitched another three. That's 24 of 26 innings, a staggering 92.3 percent, manned by those five key members of the staff, the five best members of the staff. "I...

Comments

Tags:

daniel hudson los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman max scherzer nationals nationals pastime nlds patrick corbin sean doolittle stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Strasburg and surprise reliever Scherzer pitch Nats to win (updated)

October 04, 2019, 9:15pm

Nationals

Strasburg and surprise reliever Scherzer pitch Nats to win (updated)

LOS ANGELES - How much did the Nationals believe they needed to win Game 2 of the National League Division Series tonight? Enough to start Stephen Strasburg three days after he threw three innings of relief in the NL wild card game. And that wasn't even the biggest gamble Davey Martinez took this evening. No, Martinez felt victory tonight was so critical, he sent Game 3 starter Max Scherzer to the mound for the bottom of the eighth inning with his team leading by two runs. You think the Nats...

Comments

Tags:

daniel hudson los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman max scherzer nationals nationals pastime nlds sean doolittle stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Martinez, players hope for looser approach tonight (Nats win 4-2)

October 04, 2019, 4:17pm

Nationals

Martinez, players hope for looser approach tonight (Nats win 4-2)

LOS ANGELES - The Nationals know they played loose all season, enjoying the moment even when they at times struggled. And they know they didn't play loose during Thursday night's 6-0 shutout loss to the Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. How, then, do they rediscover that essential mindset tonight while facing an even more pressure packed scenario, desperately trying to avoid falling behind 2-0 in the best-of-five series? Maybe a reappearance of the infamous camels from...

Comments

Tags:

adam eaton davey martinez los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime nlds featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Martinez needs to be more aggressive with bullpen in Game 2

October 03, 2019, 10:06pm

Nationals

Martinez needs to be more aggressive with bullpen in Game 2

LOS ANGELES - In Tuesday's do-or-die wild card game, Davey Martinez could justify an all-hands-on-deck philosophy with his pitching staff. In Thursday's opener of a best-of-five National League Division Series, the Nationals manager felt such an approach wasn't justified. Given the way his team lost 6-0 to the Dodgers, Martinez might have no choice but to treat tonight's Game 2 more like the elimination game he managed earlier this week. After getting six harrowing but ultimately effective...

Comments

Tags:

daniel hudson davey martinez fernando rodney hunter strickland los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime nlds sean doolittle tanner rainey featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Nationals bats are silent in Game 1 shutout loss (updated)

October 03, 2019, 8:00pm

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - We can talk about the Nationals pitching staff - their dominant starters, their shaky relievers - and how they are deployed in the postseason until the cows come home. Until their hitters start, you know, hitting, it won't matter much. Game 1 of the National League Division Series saw Patrick Corbin battle disastrous command early to still produce a quality start. It saw a trio of setup men (Tanner Rainey, Fernando Rodney and Hunter Strickland) fail to keep the game close in the...

Comments

Tags:

fernando rodney hunter strickland juan soto los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime nlds patrick corbin trea turner featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

NLDS Game 2 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

October 04, 2019, 2:22pm

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - If the Nationals are going to win tonight and even up this best-of-five series, they're going to have to score runs. That sounds like a "no, duh" statement, but it's a simple fact. They were shut out Thursday night in Game 1, and they really didn't hit much at all in their wild card win Tuesday night. They just need to find a way to put more runners on base, and then find a way to get as many of those runners as possible across the plate. That won't be an easy task against...

Comments

Tags:

howie kendrick lineups los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime nlds ryan zimmerman stephen strasburg frontstory_nationals1

After relief outing, Strasburg will start Game 2 (Nats fall 6-0)

October 03, 2019, 3:27pm

Nationals

After relief outing, Strasburg will start Game 2 (Nats fall 6-0)

LOS ANGELES - Stephen Strasburg and Davey Martinez spoke Wednesday evening, after the Nationals arrived here following a long flight from Washington following an emotional win over the Brewers in the National League wild card game. Strasburg had thrown 34 pitches in three innings of scoreless relief to help lift his team to victory in that do-or-die showdown. Now Martinez wanted to know if the right-hander was ready to start Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Friday...

Comments

Tags:

davey martinez los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime nlds stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Suero, Voth added to Nationals bullpen for NLDS

October 03, 2019, 9:59am

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - With a best-of-five National League Division Series to consider now instead of a winner-take-all wild card game, the Nationals knew they were going to need to make some roster adjustments. Those adjustments, it turns out, come in the form of two extra pitchers added to their bullpen to face the Dodgers: Wander Suero and Austin Voth. After carrying only nine pitchers for Tuesday's wild card win over the Brewers - they actually used only three of them - the Nationals will now have...

Comments

Tags:

andrew stevenson austin voth los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime nlds raudy read roster wander suero featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

As glow of wild card win fades, Nats shift focus to NLDS

October 02, 2019, 10:18pm

Nationals

As glow of wild card win fades, Nats shift focus to NLDS

LOS ANGELES - The thrill of victory and the smell of champagne and beer had worn off. In their place was a happy but tired Nationals club that celebrated Tuesday night's epic wild card victory over the Brewers hard, then spent all of Wednesday afternoon flying across the country, then spent Wednesday night working out under the lights at Dodger Stadium, where tonight they'll open a best-of-five National League Division Series with a 106-win team from L.A. The previous 24 hours had been a...

Comments

Tags:

davey martinez los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime nlds patrick corbin featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

NLDS Game 1 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

October 03, 2019, 1:23pm

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - It's a beautiful day in the City of Angels, but then again most days here are. Dodger Stadium is resplendent as ever, set to host yet another postseason series, the Nationals for the second time. The Nats won one of the two games they played here in 2016. Everything starts anew tonight, with Game 1 of the National League Division Series pitting these two star-studded franchises against each other again, with some of the same cast of characters but plenty of new ones as well....

Comments

Tags:

asdrubal cabrera howie kendrick lineups los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime nlds patrick corbin yan gomes frontstory_nationals1

Nats waiting to see if Strasburg is ready to start Game 2

October 02, 2019, 6:56pm

Nationals

Nats waiting to see if Strasburg is ready to start Game 2

LOS ANGELES - The Nationals will send Patrick Corbin to the mound Thursday night for Game 1 of their National League Division Series against the Dodgers. That much they know for sure. They do not yet know who will start Game 2 on Friday night, but they certainly appear to be open to the idea of giving the ball to Stephen Strasburg only three days after his dominant three-inning relief appearance in their wild card game victory over the Brewers. "Most definitely," manager Davey Martinez said...

Comments

Tags:

davey martinez los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime nlds patrick corbin stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Dodgers, Nats' NLDS foe, boast left-handed power bats and strong rotation

October 02, 2019, 7:57am

Nationals

Dodgers, Nats' NLDS foe, boast left-handed power bats and strong rotation

Of all the ups and downs the Nationals bullpen has struggled through this season, the biggest challenge is waiting for them in Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers offense is loaded with left-handed batters. The Nationals bullpen, as was seen with the wild card roster, has only one lefty, Sean Doolittle. The Dodgers, who host the Nationals in the National League Division Series starting Thursday, have a versatile power-hitting lineup that hit 279 home runs during the regular season, most in the NL. Los...

Comments

Tags:

dodgers frontstory_nationals4 mel antonen nationals nlds

Looking at the NLDS by the numbers

October 14, 2017, 4:59am

Nationals

It's never easy to look back and wonder, "What if?" Especially when the sting of defeat is still fresh in your mind. It's always easier to look ahead and wonder, "What's next?" than dredge up bad memories. And we will start looking ahead. Tomorrow. Today, we're going to take one final look back at a National League Division Series that defied most logic. The Nationals lost the series, three games to two, to the Cubs. But as you'll see, the numbers pretty much entirely tilted in...