pirates - Blog

The straw that broke the camel's back?

September 19, 2013, 5:21am

Over the last month, the Nationals have done well to right the ship and start running off wins. They've gotten their record back above .500 and slowly chipped away at the massive deficit they had built up behind the wild card leaders. Unfortunately, as we all know, when you build up such a massive deficit, you need to be close to perfect to overcome your previous struggles. You also need a lot of help. The Nats have been playing at an incredibly high level for the last five weeks or so, but...

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Johnson on Knorr's decision to pull Soriano in favor of Krol in ninth frame

July 26, 2013, 9:13am

Nationals

Johnson on Knorr's decision to pull Soriano in favor of Krol in ninth frame

Nationals manager Davey Johnson was able to speak to the media today for the first time since he was ejected from Thursday's 9-7 win over the Pirates. Randy Knorr spoke postgame because Johnson was not available. Johnson was asked if he agreed with the decision by Knorr to pull closer Rafael Soriano in the ninth after he struggled to get outs, allowing two hits and two walks. "Yeah, I mean, (that is) sometimes what you do," Johnson said. "You go with what you are seeing. I was watching...

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No hits through five (Nats lose 4-2)

July 24, 2013, 4:31pm

Nationals

The offensive woes continue. How many straight days can I write an entry with a lede similar to that? The Nationals don't have a hit through five innings tonight. Pirates starter Francisco Liriano has allowed two walks - to Scott Hairston leading off the bottom of the first and to Jayson Werth in the fourth - but has yet to surrender a base hit. The Nats haven't really been all that close to recording their first hit, either. A Stephen Strasburg groundball up the middle nearly got through...

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Nats sticking with same lineup (with Pirates lineup)

July 23, 2013, 11:32am

Nationals

Nats sticking with same lineup (with Pirates lineup)

The Nationals will stick with their same lineup (minus the pitcher) for game two of this four-game series with the Pirates. Bryce Harper will lead off and Denard Span will hit seventh. Wilson Ramos is again behind the plate for the Nats. Taylor Jordan will get his fifth big league start tonight, still in search of his first win despite positing an impressive 3.32 ERA thus far. Jordan is coming off the best outing of his major league career thus far, when he allowed just two runs on eight...

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Harper hitting leadoff again

July 22, 2013, 11:29am

Nationals

The Nationals lineup with Rick Schu as their hitting coach looks a lot like their lineup when Rick Eckstein was their hitting coach. Bryce Harper will remain atop the lineup today, with Denard Span returning and hitting seventh. Harper will be in left, Span in center. Dan Haren will look to continue his recent turnaround; he's allowed just two earned runs over 11 innings in his last two starts. For the Nats LF Bryce Harper 2B Anthony Rendon 3B Ryan Zimmerman 1B Adam LaRoche RF Jayson...

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Moore makes the Bucs pay (Nats win 6-2)

May 05, 2013, 12:26pm

Nationals

PITTSBURGH - Given the way Adam LaRoche has been swinging the bat the last few days, and the way Tyler Moore has struggled to put the bat on the ball the last couple days, you can't really blame the Pirates for intentionally walking LaRoche to get to Moore with first base open in the top of the eighth inning. Just like yesterday, Moore was off to a rough start today, striking out in all three at-bats this afternoon, all three looking. But after falling behind in the count 0-2 with two...

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Span back in Nats lineup, Ramos starts again

May 05, 2013, 8:35am

Nationals

Span back in Nats lineup, Ramos starts again

PITTSBURGH - After missing yesterday's game with a sore right ankle/foot, Denard Span has returned to the Nationals lineup for this afternoon's series finale at PNC Park. Span nearly fell to the ground when he woke up yesterday morning, the pain in his lower ankle area having intensified overnight. He got a day of rest yesterday and woke up this morning feeling much better. He'll return to the leadoff spot and play center field. Jayson Werth will miss his third straight game with left...

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Span out of Nats lineup, Espinosa leading off

May 04, 2013, 8:30am

Nationals

Span out of Nats lineup, Espinosa leading off

PITTSBURGH - A day after fouling a ball off his right ankle, Denard Span is out of the Nationals' lineup. Danny Espinosa will move into the leadoff spot for this afternoon's 4:05 p.m. game against the Pirates, and Roger Bernadina will play center with Span out. Span had a bandage on his right ankle, directly above the top of his foot, after last night's game. He played all nine innings last night but looked to be favoring the ankle a bit after the game. Jayson Werth will miss his second...

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Not scoring many runs, not getting many breaks

May 04, 2013, 12:24am

Nationals

Not scoring many runs, not getting many breaks

PITTSBURGH - Since some of you might have missed the stats I shared last night on Andrew McCutchen's dominance against the Nationals, I feel the need to pass them along again. Sorry. While it might sting to look at these numbers, they're so ridiculous that I feel like they have to be shared. In 24 career games against the Nats, McCutchen is batting .456 (41-for-89) with 11 home runs, 22 RBIs and an insane 1.448 OPS. "He's not going to hit a home run every time," said Ross Detwiler, who...

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Don't pitch to Andrew McCutchen (Nats lose 3-1)

May 03, 2013, 4:25pm

Nationals

Don't pitch to Andrew McCutchen (Nats lose 3-1)

PITTSBURGH - Get ready for some offensive numbers that will wow you. They might also make you shake your head in disgust. Over 24 career games against the Nationals, Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen is now batting .455 with 11 home runs and 22 RBIs. McCutchen has gone 2-for-2 tonight with a solo home run and a single, accounting for the lone Pirates run off Ross Detwiler and two-thirds of Pittsburgh's hits on the evening. It was really enjoyable watching McCutchen take cuts in the...

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Meyers' deception could be key change of pace

February 11, 2013, 3:10am

Nationals

Meyers' deception could be key change of pace

The Nationals got Brad Meyers back from the Yankees, who took him in the Rule 5 draft and then returned him. Meyers pitched only one game last year after an early-season workout injury shelved his season. Now he is good to go and is excited to be back with the Nationals' organization. Triple-A Syracuse manager Tony Beasley had Meyers at Double-A Harrisburg a couple of years ago for a while before Meyers was called up to the Chiefs. Beasley said Meyers doesn't have the classic,...

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Comeback bid comes up short

May 17, 2012, 6:07pm

Nationals

Down 4-0 in the sixth inning and getting no-hit, the Nationals woke up and pounded out three runs to make it a ballgame and chase Pirates starter James McDonald. They just couldn't do quite enough to get over that final hump to even things up or take the lead. The Nats missed out on a couple late opportunities, leaving a runner stranded at third to end the sixth, then stranding runners at second and third in the seventh, and they fell to the Pirates 5-3. Washington hitters struck out 14...

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There goes the no-hitter... and the shutout

May 17, 2012, 5:13pm

Nationals

There goes the no-hitter... and the shutout

Remember when James McDonald had a no-hitter through five innings? That seems so long ago. McDonald, who had a perfect game through four innings and had struck out 10 through five, had a disastrous sixth inning, allowing three runs on four hits. He got pulled from the game with two outs in the sixth, ending an outing which had started in dominating fashion. Jesus Flores was the one to get it all rolling for the Nationals, with his leadoff double in the sixth breaking up McDonald's no-no and...

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McDonald dominant; McCutchen, Barajas continue to kill Nats

May 17, 2012, 4:20pm

Nationals

McDonald dominant; McCutchen, Barajas continue to kill Nats

Andrew McCutchen entered today hitting .439 in 23 career games against the Nationals. Rod Barajas came into tonight's game batting just .188 on the season, but was the one who smacked the walk-off two-run home run off Henry Rodriguez last week. Both guys continued terrorizing the Nats tonight. McCutchen smacked a solo homer off Jordan Zimmermann in the first inning to put the Pirates up 1-0. The blast gave him a ridiculous nine homers and 20 RBIs in 23 games against Washington. Those are...

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Strasburg must love the Pirates (Nats win 4-2)

May 10, 2012, 4:09pm

Nationals

Strasburg must love the Pirates (Nats win 4-2)

I have a feeling most pitchers enjoy facing the Pirates. They've scored by far the fewest runs in the majors and are hitting just .227 as a team. Any pitcher would love to go against that group. Stephen Strasburg really, really loves to face Pittsburgh. Strasburg has struck out seven straight Bucs hitters, and has faced the minimum as we go to the fourth inning. Dating back to his last start against the Pirates - which just happened to be his dazzling major league debut - Strasburg has...

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Blown chances plague Nats in 4-2 loss

May 09, 2012, 6:11pm

Nationals

You'd think the Nationals caught a break when Pirates starter Erik Bedard, who entered the game with a 2.65 ERA, was pulled after just an inning-plus due to a back injury. That left the Nats eight innings to battle against Pittsburgh's bullpen. You'd think the Nats would have a decent shot at tying the game when they loaded the bases with just one out in the eighth, trailing 3-2. You'd think that if a Washington starter (Ross Detwiler, for example) allowed three runs in six innings - a...

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Bernadina hitting second, Espinosa hitting sixth

May 10, 2012, 11:58am

Nationals

Bernadina hitting second, Espinosa hitting sixth

Davey Johnson has made a couple lineup changes, all right. The Nationals' skipper has tweaked his batting order for tonight's series finale against the Pirates, putting Roger Bernadina in the No. 2 spot and dropping Bryce Harper to fifth. Danny Espinosa will start at second base tonight and will protect Harper in the order, hitting sixth. This is now the fourth spot in the lineup that Harper has at-bats. He's previously hit seventh, third and second. Here are the lineups for both...

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Wacky third inning puts Nats in a hole (instant update)

May 09, 2012, 4:28pm

Nationals

Wacky third inning puts Nats in a hole (instant update)

We had a strikeout of the pitcher, who then reached on a wild pitch. We had a ball deflect off Ross Detwiler and go for a single. We had a 5-2-6 putout in which a runner was tagged out trying to score. We had a runner score from second on an infield single. Yeah, it was a strange bottom of the third inning. The Pirates lead 3-0 after three, and despite the fact that Pittsburgh starter Erik Bedard was pulled in the top of the second inning due to an apparent injury, the Nats still don't...

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Moore to start in left field, Harper to center

May 09, 2012, 11:34am

Nationals

Moore to start in left field, Harper to center

Those wanting Tyler Moore to get a shot at more playing time, here you go. Moore will start in left field and hit seventh for the Nationals in tonight's game against the Pirates. It will be the rookie's second major league start, both of which will have been in left. With the Nats facing a left-hander in Erik Bedard, Davey Johnson is going with a lineup stacked with right-handed hitters. He'll put Moore in left and Xavier Nady in right field, with Bryce Harper moving over to center and...

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Rodriguez's blown save costs Nats

May 08, 2012, 5:54pm

Nationals

Adam LaRoche was all set up to be the hero tonight, as his two-run homer leading off the ninth - the 1,000th home run in Nationals team history - gave the Nats a 4-3 lead. Then Henry Rodriguez got the road jitters yet again. Rodriguez allowed a walk-off, two-run homer to Rod Barajas (a .141 hitter this season), giving the Pirates a shocking 5-4 win. It's Rodriguez's second blown save on the season, both of which have come on the road. Rodriguez hasn't allowed a run and has given up just...