Game 77 lineups: Nats at Rays

Game 77 lineups: Nats at Rays
St. PETERSBURG, FLA. - The Nationals have headed south to begin a six-game road trip, but only the first two games are in the Sunshine State. The Nats and the Rays are coming off of dramatic late-inning victories as they prepare to do battle tonight for the second series meeting this season. The Rays walked off the Yankees 7-6 in the 12th inning on recently recalled Jake Bauers' solo shot. The Nats came back from a 6-2 deficit to stun the Phillies 8-6 on three doubles by Bryce Harper and an...
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Martinez explains keeping Rodriguez in after rain delay

Martinez explains keeping Rodriguez in after rain delay
Nationals right-hander Jefrey Rodriguez pitched to a pair of batters into the fifth inning following the 38-minute rain delay Sunday night against the Phillies. He allowed four runs on five hits in four innings with three walks (one intentional) and three strikeouts. The Nationals came from behind to beat the Phillies, 8-6, to salvage the third game of the series before heading to St. Petersburg, Fla. "I feel like I did a good job," Rodriguez said via team interpreter Octavio Martinez. After...
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If Harper and Murphy can click at the same time, the Nats can get back to rolling

If Harper and Murphy can click at the same time, the Nats can get back to rolling
It is no secret that if the Nationals are going to get on a roll and wrest control of the National League East from the Braves and Phillies, a couple of their biggest bats - Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy - will need to lead that run. Sunday night, down 6-2 to the Phillies, Harper and Murphy led the attack in a spectacular 8-6 comeback win. Harper had a career-high three doubles and Murphy delivered the game's biggest knock, a two-run single in the eighth, which highlighted a three-run rally...
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Nats pumped up after 8-6 comeback win that avoids sweep by Phillies

Nats pumped up after 8-6 comeback win that avoids sweep by Phillies
The Nats were down 6-2 in the fifth inning Sunday night and were desperately searching for a spark to avoid a sweep at the hands of the second-place Phillies at Nats Park. They found the spark in two parts: a three-run sixth and a three-run eighth to stun Philadelphia, 8-6. The Nationals pounded out 17 hits for their 41st win of the season. The comeback win was the Nats' 12th of the season, but the victory felt like it was so much more important because of the situation the club had placed...
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Nats allow another home run (Nats come back and win 8-6)

Nats allow another home run (Nats come back and win 8-6)
The Phillies connected first, against right-hander Jefry Rodriguez, to take an early lead over the Nats. Phillies pitcher Nick Pivetta singled to begin the third. One batter later, Rhys Hoskins slammed a two-run shot over the right-center field wall for his 11th homer of the season. Hoskins connected on a 94 mph four-seam fastball. Rodriguez has employed his changeup more than he had in his last start, and his curveball has forced a lot of swings-and-misses. The Nats have three hits, all...
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Martinez on Hellickson, Kintzler, Strasburg and more

Martinez on Hellickson, Kintzler, Strasburg and more
Nationals hurlers Jeremy Hellickson and Brandon Kintzler completed their rehab games today for high Single-A Potomac with polar-opposite line results in an 11-5 loss to Wilmington. Hellickson has been nursing a right hamstring strain since June 4, while Kintzler is returning from a right forearm flexor strain (June 10). Hellickson lasted 4 2/3 innings in Woodbridge, Va., Sunday, giving up 11 runs on nine hits with three walks in taking the loss. Hellickson threw a scoreless first inning, but...
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Game 76 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

Game 76 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies
The Nats have now lost seven of their last nine games, and are now 18-20 at home and 11-13 in the National League East. So before they head out on a six-game road trip, they need to get away with a win or be saddled with their third home series sweep loss of the season. In order for the club to get a win, they will need a solid start from an inexperienced starter in right-hander Jefry Rodriguez (0-0, 4.66 ERA), who is looking for his first win in his major league career. Rodriguez did fairly...
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Solís sees slight mechanical tweak necessary, adjusting to new work load

Solís sees slight mechanical tweak necessary, adjusting to new work load
In Friday's 12-2 loss to the Phillies, there were plenty of facets in the Nationals' game that didn't go well. The starting pitching was unable to get through five innings. The offense put together only two runs, going 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. And the bullpen allowed six runs on eight hits, including two homers, with four walks and six strikeouts. Left-hander Sammy Solís was able to put away the first two hitters in the eighth. But then a walk opened the door to a...
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Roark points to one mechanical issue after a few inconsistent starts

Roark points to one mechanical issue after a few inconsistent starts
Right-hander Tanner Roark had his second straight start where he was not able to get through the fifth inning as the Phillies dropped the Nationals 12-2. Last Sunday in Toronto, Roark allowed four runs on eight hits over four innings. Tonight back in D.C., Roark (3-8) surrendered six runs, the most he has allowed in one game this season, over 4 1/3 innings, with seven hits, four walks and seven strikeouts. Roark said he studied his mechanics on video after he got back to the clubhouse and...
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Odúbel Herrera solves Roark early (Nats fall to Phillies 12-2)

Odúbel Herrera solves Roark early (Nats fall to Phillies 12-2)
The Phillies got to Tanner Roark in the first inning thanks to a leadoff walk to César Hernández and a single by Odúbel Herrera. After a wild pitch advanced the runners, Carlos Santana unleashed a two-run single. Roark then settled in and struck out four batters in a row. In the second, Juan Soto greeted right-hander Zach Eflin with a double down the third base line. Michael A. Taylor added a run-scoring double almost to the same place, past third baseman Jesmel Valentín to score...
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Martinez wants baserunners to be "aggressively smart"

Martinez wants baserunners to be "aggressively smart"
Part of the Nationals recent adjustments on offense has been focused on trying to figure out other ways to score besides the long ball. The home run numbers are down in June. The Nationals 10 homers this month is dead last in the National League. 19-year-old Juan Soto is responsible for four of those 10 homers. Conversely, the Nats have stolen 16 bases in the month of June, tied with Milwaukee for the most in the senior circuit. Their 59 overall stolen bases are tops in the National League,...
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Harper has a different view and outlook on recent struggles

Harper has a different view and outlook on recent struggles
It has been a tough couple of weeks that has stretched into a difficult month for Nationals slugger Bryce Harper. But in Thursday's 4-2 win over the Orioles, Harper displayed some of the technique and strategies manager Davey Martinez wanted to see from his most important player. Martinez felt if Harper was put back in the leadoff spot, where he worked earlier in the season, that it would play a part in him working counts a bit more and seeing more pitches. Before Thursday's game, Martinez...
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Scherzer allows two homers, but fires seven strong innings

Scherzer allows two homers, but fires seven strong innings
It was unusual to see right-hander Max Scherzer allow a pair of home runs and uncork a wild pitch in Thursday's start versus the Orioles. But the fact that matters the most is that the Nationals' ace gave his club a chance to win the game. And that is exactly what the Nationals did, dropping the Orioles 4-2 and winning the series, thanks to a timely two-run double from rookie sensation Juan Soto in the eighth inning. "Hey, we won the ballgame," Scherzer said. "That's what matters. That's...
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Orioles hit two early homers off Scherzer (Nats win 4-2)

Orioles hit two early homers off Scherzer (Nats win 4-2)
When the Nationals were rolling offensively, it was their power that separated them from other teams. But recently the offense has stagnated, evidenced by a lack of home run production. As MASNsports.com's Mark Zuckerman tweeted tonight regarding the Nats' power numbers, the Nats have been outhomered by 18 in June. #Nats have been out-homered 27-9 this month. That's a bit of a problem. -- Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) June 21, 2018 That trend repeated itself again early in their series...
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Harper back to leadoff spot; could Taylor play shortstop?

Harper back to leadoff spot; could Taylor play shortstop?
Following their 3-0 loss to the Orioles on Wednesday, the Nationals have now been shut out four times since June 10. With the offense searching for some consistency, Nationals manager Davey Martinez decided to put Bryce Harper back into the leadoff spot in Thursday's series finale against the Orioles, something he tinkered with earlier in the season when Adam Eaton and Anthony Rendon were out of the lineup. Martinez said the main reason was to try to jump-start Harper, who has hit only .125...
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Game 73 lineups: Nats vs. Orioles

Game 73 lineups: Nats vs. Orioles
The Nationals look for the series win against the Orioles tonight after Wednesday's rain-delayed 3-0 setback. Nationals manager Davey Martinez is mixing up the lineup again: Bryce Harper is leading off and Juan Soto gets the shot at the cleanup spot, making his first career start there. Michael A. Taylor returns to the lineup and is batting sixth. Right-hander Max Scherzer (10-3, 2.06 ERA) opposes Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman (3-6, 4.48 ERA). Scherzer has lost two starts in a row. His...
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Rodriguez will need to mix in more pitches to get better

Rodriguez will need to mix in more pitches to get better
Right-hander Jefrey Rodriguez didn't fare as well in his first major league start for the Nationals as he did in his first outing in Atlanta, but there were still some positive moments. "It definitely felt better, more normal for me," Rodriguez said through team interpreter Octavio Martinez. "I've always been a starter so that first outing for me in the big leagues I came out of the bullpen that was a first time for me. But today I was able to take my time, prepare myself a little better...
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Herrera holds Orioles at bay with shutout inning in D.C. debut

Herrera holds Orioles at bay with shutout inning in D.C. debut
Right-hander Kelvin Herrera arrived at 3:30 p.m. eastern time into Washington, D.C. Six hours later, he recorded his first hold as the Washington Nationals came back to beat the Orioles, 9-7. He recorded three outs on six pitches: getting Jonathan Schoop, Danny Valencia and Trey Mancini in order. "I saw velocity, which is what you see," shortstop Trea Turner said. "I've seen him pitch for a while now, not all the time, but I watched that 2015 World Series when they won, and he's...
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Rodriguez allows early two-run shot (Nats win 9-7)

Rodriguez allows early two-run shot (Nats win 9-7)
Tonight the Nationals open a three-game set against their beltway rivals to the North, the Baltimore Orioles. The Nats swept the Orioles in three games at Camden Yards to close out May and have won five in a row dating back to 2017. Trea Turner got the scoring going with a solo homer in the second inning. The homer to left-center was off of Orioles starter David Hess, and was Turner's eighth of the season. It was Turner's first homer since June 3 against the Dodgers. The Orioles answered back...
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Martinez: Herrera understands important role with Nats, "excited to be here"

Martinez: Herrera understands important role with Nats, "excited to be here"
Former Royals closer Kelvin Herrera arrived at Nationals Park and into his new clubhouse and was quickly welcomed by a pair of former teammates in relievers Tim Collins and Ryan Madson. Herrera had spent all eight seasons of his career in Kansas City, so when he first heard the news, he had to take a step back. "Yeah, it was very quick," Herrera said through team interpreter Octavio Martinez. "They let me know about 6:20 p.m. (local time). It was unexpected for me and everything happened so...
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