MIAMI - The Nationals manufactured a run and benefitted from sloppy Marlins defense to take an early lead.
Facing right-hander Tom Koehler in the third, Danny Espinosa led off with a walk. He moved to second on a 3-4 sacrifice bunt by Max Scherzer.
Koehler then tried to pick off Espinosa at second base but the throw was off target and rolled to center field. Espinosa went to third. Christian Yelich mishandled the ball in center field, allowing Espinosa to keep going and score. The Nationals...
MIAMI - Second baseman Daniel Murphy will miss his fourth straight start tonight for the Nationals as they finish their series against the Marlins in Miami.
Manager Dusty Baker listed the injury as leg soreness on Monday, but progress to recovery has been slow the past couple of days, even though Murphy was employed as a pinch-hitter late in the first two games of the series.
"Well, it's the same thing. He hasn't been responding to treatment," Baker said. "So with a day off tomorrow,...
MIAMI - Left-hander Sammy Solis threw 25 pitches in his first bullpen session since going down with shoulder inflammation August 16.
"Good, just nice to get back out there," Solis said. "It's been a long time, longer than I anticipated. But just to be back out there knowing that I am that much closer to a game, it's encouraging."
Solis said the process of ramping up each bullpen session will not be necessary because of his current relieving role where he might just pitch one inning in a...
MIAMI - The Nationals look to salvage the final installment of a three-game series in South Florida tonight, but maybe more importantly, look to get some positive results for their slugger Bryce Harper.
There was a bit of a buzz yesterday at Marlins Park regarding Tom Verducci's latest update on Harper's presumed ailing shoulder. Manager Dusty Baker said that report was "inaccurate," but did say that Harper had dealt with a neck issue early in August. He placed Harper back in the lineup in...
MIAMI - The Nationals have now lost four in a row. The biggest concern recently has been the offense. But getting runners home from scoring position has been an issue off and on for most of the season.
Following Tuesday's 1-0 loss to the Marlins, the Nationals have scored only eight runs in their last four games, a span of 34 innings.
That statistic might be a little bit skewed because they had to face Marlins ace Jose Fernandez on Tuesday. But then again, they will have to figure out a way to...
MIAMI - The Nationals were unable to solve Jose Fernandez. Tanner Roark came within one pitch of solving the Marlins.
Miami downed the Nationals 1-0 on a Giancarlo Stanton home run in the sixth, his 27th of the season and second in this series. The Nats' losing streak has reached four games.
Roark pitched seven strong innings again, allowing one run and three hits with three walks and five strikeouts. He has reached 200 innings for the first time in his career (200 1/3), working at least seven...
MIAMI - As one might have expected, a pair of pitchers with identical 15-8 records and sub-3.00 ERAs are locked in a pitchers' duel at Marlins Park on Tuesday night.
Right-hander Jose Fernandez, who is 6-0 against the Nationals, has struck out five through four innings, allowing only a first-inning double to Stephen Drew.
Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark got into trouble in the bottom of the third when he allowed a two-out single to Dee Gordon and then a pair of walks to load the bases. But...
MIAMI - Nationals manager Dusty Baker declared before Tuesdays game that an article written by Sport Illustrated's Tom Verducci on right fielder Bryce Harper's shoulder causing problems in his swing was not accurate. Baker also said his quote about Harper's shoulder causing lingering issues was taken out of context.
"The story is inaccurate," Baker said. "They asked me about his shoulder problem before. I said exactly that, we gave him four or five days off. I don't even know how long...
MIAMI - It's a marquee matchup tonight, as the Nationals' Tanner Roark challenges the Marlins' Jose Fernandez.
Roark, who is 15-8 with a 2.75 ERA, is seeking a career-high 16th win. Fernandez is also 15-8, with a 2.99 ERA.
Fernandez has never lost to the Nationals: He is 6-0 with a 1.13 ERA in nine starts, with 72 strikeouts and just seven earned runs allowed. He is 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA against the Nationals this season, surrendering only three earned runs in 19 innings.
Roark is 3-7 with a...
MIAMI - Manager Dusty Baker was away from the team last week to attend to a death in the family. During that time, bench coach Chris Speier managed the club. Speier spoke about his close friendship with Baker and how their relationship has been solidified with trust built over decades of working together.
Speier commented this time around he has seen a change in Baker's demeanor as a manager. Baker relishes the victories. But Speier noted that Baker now doesn't take the losses as hard as he...
MIAMI - Nationals right-hander A.J. Cole allowed only two runs in his start Monday, but had to labor to get those 12 outs. Cole had to throw 79 pitches in just four innings and spoke after taking a no-decision in the 4-3 loss to Miami.
"I didn't have my best stuff tonight," Cole said. "But I fought to keep my team in the game. I went out there and still tried every inning to get my stuff where I wanted it to. I battled through it.
"It didn't really differ at all. Though I went out there...
MIAMI - The Nationals and Marlins went back and forth Monday night, but in the end, Miami delivered the final punch in a 4-3 comeback win.
The game turned on a couple of key plays, a hot shot right at center fielder Trea Turner and a baserunning mistake by Michael A. Taylor.
Trailing 3-2 in the sixth, the Marlins answered with a double from pinch-hitter Derek Dietrich on a ball that was hit well but appeared Turner might have a chance to catch. Turner was unable to make the play on the hot shot...
MIAMI - Right-hander A.J. Cole did well to keep the Marlins off the board in the first inning in his first-ever appearance in his home state at the major league level.
Cole grew up in Oviedo, Fla., which is 233 miles north of Miami. A strong contingent of friends and family cheered Cole's effort.
But Cole could not avoid Giancarlo Stanton. In the second with one out, Stanton launched a 448-foot homer to left field that left that bat at 115 mph. The solo homer, his 26th of the season, provided...
MIAMI - Left-hander Sammy Solis said he is progressing in his throwing program as he looks to recover from left shoulder inflammation that has had him on the shelf since mid-August.
"We are kind of taking it day-by-day based on how it is feeling," Solis said. "The inflammation is pretty much knocked out. But strengthening-wise and maintaining the area and make sure it is stable enough to get back off the mound is No. 1 right now."
Solis said he is not throwing game-type pitches like he...
MIAMI - Nationals manager Dusty Baker decided to give right fielder Bryce Harper a day of rest in the opening game of a three-game set at Marlins Park.
Baker expects his cleanup hitter back in the lineup Tuesday against the Marlins' Jose Fernandez. Harper has struggled at the plate recently and Miami sends out left-hander Wei-Yin Chen tonight. Since September 10, Harper is just 1-for-18 (.056).
"Everything is fine," Baker said. "I could see his concentration waning some so I thought I give...
MIAMI - After a couple of losses in a row in Atlanta, the Nationals are glad to be rid of Turner Field forever and set their sights on getting back on track in South Florida.
The club is still completely focused on clinching their third National League East pennant in the past five seasons.
The magic number remains at six as the Mets keep winning. But the Nationals don't have to concern themselves with the team from New York. Just win six games and it's on to the second season.
The Nationals...
Right-hander Trevor Gott has appeared in four games for the Nationals during his September callup, posting a 3.00 ERA. In those four games, Gott has pitched three innings and allowed two hits and one run, with two walks and two strikeouts.
The 24-year-old said he battled an arm issue early in his tenure with the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs this season that slowed his progress a bit.
"I had some inflammation in the elbow, so I had to rest that, get that down," he said. "Caught it early, which is...
MASNSports.com has received a copy of the recently released 2016 Nationals fall instructional league roster.
The roster includes several familiar names including Erick Fedde, Carter Kieboom, Dane Dunning, Victor Robles and Juan Soto. Also making the roster is former Nationals pitcher and now knuckleballer J.D. Martin.
The report date is Sept. 19 with the first workout scheduled for the next day. The team will play 10 scheduled games beginning Sept. 26 at Disney World against the Tigers and...
Prior to Wednesday's series finale against the Mets, bench coach Chris Speier met with the media in the spot normally reserved for manager Dusty Baker. Speier was there because Baker was home due to a death in the family. Speier spoke about Baker as a manager, a close friend, a confidant, a trusted advisor and sometimes even a father figure to the Nationals.
Speier said they would dedicate the next couple of games to Baker.
On Wednesday, the Nationals found a way with shutout pitching and a...
Following an emotional extra-inning comeback that fell just short in a 4-3 loss to division rivals, today's getaway couldn't be in better hands from a Nationals perspective than right-hander Tanner Roark.
In his last matchup September 9 against the Phillies, Roark racked up six innings, scattering six hits and allowing one run, with two walks, one hit by pitch and eight strikeouts. He tossed 107 pitches, 71 for strikes. He is 14-8 with a 2.85 ERA. Ironically, the 2.85 ERA was the same mark he...
