After disastrous West Coast trip, Nationals try to refocus

LOS ANGELES - Michael A. Taylor's game-ending error late last night would have been tough enough for the Nationals to cope with had it come during a long winning streak. That it instead extended their current losing streak to a season-long five games only added to the disconsolation that was felt throughout the visitors' clubhouse at Dodger Stadium at the end of a brutal West Coast trip.

"Every loss on this road trip has been devastating," manager Dusty Baker said. "We had the lead in three or four of the games going into late innings."

Indeed, three times in the last five days the Nationals have blown a lead in the eighth inning or later, each one in more crushing fashion than the previous. A team that only a few days ago was playing well and sitting pretty 18 games over .500 now faces its first true test of the season.

Players insisted this group is well-equipped to deal with it.

"We don't dwell on it," reliever Shawn Kelley said. "We've got a lot of good veterans in here that have been there. Just like when we were not even playing our best baseball early in the year, we can bounce back from a tough loss, and we will. We'll bounce back in Milwaukee, I'm pretty confident."

First up is an off-day, one the Nationals sorely needed even before last night's loss. Having played 16 days in a row without a break, their bullpen can certainly use a breather, as can other regulars who have been playing every day throughout this stretch.

Then comes a weekend series against the Brewers, who currently own a 32-40 record, a full 16 games back in the NL Central. With a showdown against the Mets in D.C. looming after this, the Nationals know the importance of a bounceback this weekend at Miller Park.

"It really helps, I think, that we've got an off-day tomorrow," Baker said, "so we can start all over again."

Baker also believes the makeup of his clubhouse will help at a time like this. He expects veterans like Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman, Daniel Murphy, Max Scherzer and Jonathan Papelbon to set the proper example, offer support to a young player like Taylor after his difficult performance last night and show everyone how to turn the page.

"They're very resilient," Baker said. "This is a test. Nobody said it was going to be easy. That's why you try to build as many games above .500 as you can, because every team's going to go through a period like this. What if we were .500 and had a period like this? We've still got the lead. We've got to forget about this one."