Sean Doolittle is a one-pitch pitcher. He's not afraid to admit it. As noted before, he's willing to throw the occasional slider or changeup, but at his core he's a fastball guy and he'll keep living and dying by that fastball. Which is why, in part, the final at-bat of Thursday night's game at Nationals Park was so compelling. With two outs and the tying runner on third base, Doolittle was facing Marlins leadoff man Dee Gordon. The left-hander kept pumping out high fastballs, and Gordon...

Right-hander Tanner Roark's velocity was down and he was walking too many guys. But you look up at the final line score and the most important stat of the night? He allowed the Marlins only two runs. Down 2-0, the Nats came back to beat the Marlins 3-2 on a Brian Goodwin solo shot and Andrew Stevenson's spectacular, game-ending, diving catch. Roark kept his club in the game despite five walks. The big blow was another Giancarlo Stanton homer. His two-run shot in the third gave the Marlins a...

The Nationals expect to have a fully healthy lineup within a matter of weeks, with Michael A. Taylor set to return from the disabled list first, then Jayson Werth and Trea Turner following shortly after that. Which means Brian Goodwin is headed back to the bench in the near future, and Andrew Stevenson is likely headed back to the minors (at least until rosters expand in September). As long as both rookie outfielders are here and wearing Nationals uniforms, though, they're going to keep...

The Nationals were able to put out their newly minted 1-2-3 punch for the final three innings Thursday in a series-clinching 3-2 victory over the Marlins. Brandon Kintzler, Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle held the Marlins scoreless in those three frames, surrendering only two hits with no walks and striking out three. The trio arrived after the Nats had comeback from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game in the sixth. Brian Goodwin's solo homer in the eighth put the Nats up for good. Those three...

OAKLAND, Calif. - It may now be just a matter of days before the Orioles get a look at Rule 5 outfielder Anthony Santander at the major league level. Manager Buck Showalter is excited to see what he's got. The 22-year-old native of Venezuela was taken from the Indians organization last December at the Winter Meetings. Santander played for Lynchburg in the Carolina League last year. He batted .290/.368/.494 with 42 doubles, 20 home runs, 90 runs scored, 95 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 128 games....

Brian Goodwin may have slumped at times, and he may not have been able to duplicate the production the Nationals would have received from Adam Eaton or Michael A. Taylor had either of their top two center fielders been healthy all summer. But where would this team be without its third-stringer, who has more than held down the fort in the absence of others and has delivered more than his share of big hits along the way. Just like he did tonight. Goodwin's leadoff homer in the bottom of the...

OAKLAND, Calif. - With his batting average at its lowest point since he went 1-for-5 opening day, first baseman Chris Davis is not starting tonight. He is fine physically, but he has just two hits over 25 at-bats his last seven games and manager Buck Showalter will give him a day off and potentially more than that. "Just give him a day or so," Showalter said during his pregame media session. "He's fine physically. As fine as anyone can be this time of year. He's available. Just giving him...

Tanner Roark got through the first two innings unscathed. But in the third, Dee Gordon singled. Giancarlo Stanton followed with a two-homer on a 1-1 pitch from Roark. His 39th homer of the year went over the left field wall. The Marlins lead 2-0. The Nationals earned a base hit off the bat of Matt Wieters in in the third but not much else yet against Dan Straily. After three innings, the Marlins lead the Nationals 2-0. Update: The Nats rally in the bottom of the sixth. Adrián Sanchez leads...

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Orioles seemed convinced after yesterday's game that outfielder Joey Rickard was going to be fine and it turns out that is exactly the case. Rickard was hit on the batting helmet by a Troy Scribner pitch in the top of the sixth Wednesday afternoon in Anaheim. He came out of the game as Craig Gentry pinch-ran for him during the Orioles' 5-1 loss in Anaheim. But Rickard is starting tonight in Oakland, batting ninth in right field. "I'm good to go," he said this...

The Nationals have such a commanding lead in the division that it has the same feeling as a losing season. It is like the Nationals are playing out the string, but instead of the season ending with golf outings and vacation, it will become exciting again and the Nationals will be in the playoffs. For now though, the Nationals are playing out the string. I'd say it should be a feeling familiar to Nats fans, but how many really exist that suffered through the 2008 and 2009 seasons? Let alone...