Strasburg goes eight innings for 10th victory (Nats win 8-1)

Strasburg goes eight innings for 10th victory (Nats win 8-1)
Stephen Strasburg's inability to get off to fast starts haunted him again to begin his second outing against the Diamondbacks this season. In his first start against Arizona on May 13, Strasburg allowed only three runs that came later in the game, and took the hard-luck 3-1 loss. With two outs Tuesday night in the first inning, David Peralta got a hold of a 1-2 pitch and crushed it over the right field wall to give Arizona a 1-0 lead. It was Peralta's second home run in as many at-bats as...
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Williams on McLouth being done for the year and Harper's baserunning blunder

Williams on McLouth being done for the year and Harper's baserunning blunder
Nationals manager Matt Williams confirmed that outfielder Nate McLouth has a torn labrum in his right shoulder and is done for the season. McLouth had been on the disabled list since Aug. 4 (retroactive to Aug. 2) with right shoulder inflammation. An MRI athrogram and doctors' consultation confirmed the seriousness of the injury. Williams said McLouth will have surgery on Thursday. "It's something he's been dealing with all year," Williams said. "For me, the symptoms got bad after that...
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Stammen, LaRoche and Zimmermann after another walk-off Nats win

Stammen, LaRoche and Zimmermann after another walk-off Nats win
Momentum and motivation are terms thrown around a lot in sports and many times in the game of baseball. That feeling a player gets when the tide turns, the momentum switch that happens can be from a big hit or a great defensive play. Or even getting out of a bases loaded jam with no outs in a tie ball game. Extra innings, especially. Nationals reliever Craig Stammen (3-4) got into just such a quandary in the 11th inning Monday night in a tie game against the Diamondbacks. With the bases...
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Nationals, Arizona in thrilling seesaw affair (Nats win 5-4 in 11)

Nationals, Arizona in thrilling seesaw affair (Nats win 5-4 in 11)
Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann has tossed four scoreless innings to begin the four-game set with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The only hit from Didi Gregorius, a single, came in the third inning. The hit was wiped out by a rare 5-6-4-3 double play. Left-hander Vidal Nuno counters for the Diamondbacks. He surrendered an Asdrubal Cabrera single also in the third inning. In the fourth with one out, Jayson Werth, making his first start since August 7, laced a single to left. But Adam LaRoche was...
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Updates on Zimmerman, Werth, Schierholtz and McLouth

Updates on Zimmerman, Werth, Schierholtz and McLouth
Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman told Craig Heist of 106.7 The Fan that he has been able to do light walking on an underwater treadmill has he recovers from a Grade 3 right hamstring strain. Zimmerman has been on the disabled list since July 23. "It's one of those where if you try to rush it too much, your chance of re-injury are through the roof," Zimmerman told Heist. "I don't think it's a 'see you in spring training kind of thing', but that's me." The Nationals hope they...
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Hairston, Werth, Fister and Soriano after Nationals 6-5 win

Hairston, Werth, Fister and Soriano after Nationals 6-5 win
Pinch-hitter Scott Hairston came up in the eleventh and delivered the game-winning, walk-off winner. He drove a pitch to deep left field that scored Jayson Werth from third base on a sac fly, lifting the Nationals to an 11-inning thrilling 6-5 win over the Pirates. Hairston knew it was so late in the game that a lefty-righty matchup wasn't the only way he could pinch-hit. "I figured the pitching spot was up third," Hairston told reporters. "I don't think we had anybody else on the bench....
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Nationals and Pittsburgh in back-and-forth affair (Nats win 6-5 in 11 on Hairston sac fly)

Nationals and Pittsburgh in back-and-forth affair (Nats win 6-5 in 11 on Hairston sac fly)
The Nationals are going for their second straight three-game series sweep Sunday against the Pirates, after taking three in New York against the Mets earlier this week. If the Nationals win the game, it would be their first season series win over the Bucs. The Nationals lost the first three games against the Pirates this season in late May and have bounced back to win three in a row. Doug Fister did not allow a baserunner until the third after walking Ike Davis. Davis went to second on a wild...
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Nationals begin long homestand with two big road trips waiting at end of season

Nationals begin long homestand with two big road trips waiting at end of season
It's not the only MLB rankings out there, but it's always interesting to see what others think of the Nationals. Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports has the Nationals at No. 5 on his latest team rankings. The first three teams are American League squads in Oakland, the L.A. Angels and the Orioles. The Dodgers are in fourth place. The next closest National League club is the Brewers at No. 7. * The Nationals looked like a machine this week in New York. Each game featured the power of the lineup...
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Skole, Dykstra, Vettleson, Espino, Hague shine in Senators' comeback win

Skole, Dykstra, Vettleson, Espino, Hague shine in Senators' comeback win
HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Harrisburg Senators bounced back in nightcap of their Wednesday doubleheader to defeat Reading 9-6. Matt Skole got the Senators on the board in the first with a three-run homer. It was his 11th homer of the season and gave him 58 RBIs. The opposite-field shot cut Reading's lead from to 4-3. Reading held the lead into the bottom of the sixth when Harrisburg erupted for six runs to seal the win. Cutter Dykstra and pitch-hitter Drew Vettleson dropped in two-run doubles off...
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Notes on Nats, Giolito, Rivero and Vettleson

Notes on Nats, Giolito, Rivero and Vettleson
The Nationals did not play Monday, but benefitted from the Braves difficult homestand schedule. The Dodgers beat the Braves easily 6-2, pushing the Nationals' lead to four full games in the National League East and a robust five games in the loss column. Atlanta is now 2-2 on a 10-game homestand that includes the Nationals, Dodgers and Athletics. Despite losing two of three against Atlanta over the weekend, the Nationals have three more on the road in New York before heading home for a...
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Difo and Yezzo having big weeks in Hagerstown

Difo and Yezzo having big weeks in Hagerstown
Nationals prospect Wilmer Difo is riding a six-game hitting streak and continues to impress at low Single-A Hagerstown. He is batting .407 (11-for-27) in those six games. He had three hits at West Virginia and four hits against Kannapolis just in the last week. Difo hit a two-run shot to break a 4-4 tie in that Kannapolis game, and the Suns ended up winning 9-4. Hagerstown director of broadcasting/media relations Eli Pearlstein said Saturday's performance by Difo was the best he has seen this...
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Michael Taylor's measured ascension through minors sped up in 2014 (updated)

Michael Taylor's measured ascension through minors sped up in 2014 (updated)
It has been quite the ascension for Nationals outfield prospect Michael Taylor. Reports have Taylor in Atlanta ready for possible activation to the big league club if outfielder Steven Souza Jr. has to be placed on the disabled list due to injury. Back in January, Taylor was honored as the 2013 Potomac Nationals Player of the Year. He was placed on the 40-man roster around the same time. The previous season started with then-Potomac hitting coach Mark Harris working on adjusting Taylor's...
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Baseball Prospectus evaluator examines Nats' handling of Giolito

Baseball Prospectus evaluator examines Nats' handling of Giolito
Nationals top pitching prospect Lucas Giolito's record stands at 8-2 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 starts for low Single-A Hagerstown. He has pitched 88 innings and struck out 99 batters. In his most recent start on Aug. 5, Giolito allowed an early home run and a total of three runs. But he finished five innings, scattering seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts. It was his fourth straight victory. The Nationals have been determined to bring Giolito along slowly as he recovers from Tommy John...
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Good vibes arrive with Nationals in Atlanta for key series

Good vibes arrive with Nationals in Atlanta for key series
The Nationals are playing better baseball on both sides of the ball compared to the last time they faced off against the Braves. Especially when you consider the games in early April when Atlanta set the tone, winning five of the first six meetings between the clubs. Atlanta is in their worst spiral of the season, losers of eight straight. On July 28, the Braves were 58-48 and had won three in a row. They trailed the Nationals by 1/2 game and the D.C. squad was still trying to figure out...
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Harper on his walk-off winner; Zimmermann on the seventh inning

Harper on his walk-off winner; Zimmermann on the seventh inning
Left fielder Bryce Harper hit his 46th career home run, the second walk-off homer of his career, as the Nationals beat the Mets 5-3 in 13 innings. The two-run shot off of Carlos Torres earned the Nationals their first win in the last 10 extra-inning games at home. Your browser does not support iframes. "I knew it was gone. I felt it," Harper said. "It was a ball that I thought I hit pretty well. Torres got me last night with a curveball down and in. I didn't think I would really see...
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Desmond's homer gives Nats quick lead (Harper homer wins it 5-3 in 13)

Desmond's homer gives Nats quick lead (Harper homer wins it 5-3 in 13)
The rubber match between the Nationals and Mets features a pair of right-handers who have been pitching well. Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom has won five straight games while Nationals right-hander Jordan Zimmermann is coming off a dominant performance. Zimmermann went seven innings on August 2 in an 11-0 win over the Phillies. He struck out eight, walked none, allowed only five hits and no runs for his first win since June 30. In the bottom of the second, Adam LaRoche doubled to lead off...
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Williams on Espinosa switch-hitting, Span, Rendon (Ramos reinstated)

Williams on Espinosa switch-hitting, Span, Rendon (Ramos reinstated)
Second baseman Danny Espinosa hit a three-run homer Wednesday in the Nationals' 7-1 win over the Mets. The discrepancy in his splits has been well documented from the right side (.310 vs. left-handers) and the left side of the plate (.184 vs. right-handers). Espinosa said after last night's game that he wasn't against abandoning switch-hitting, but that he can't just do that midseason. Manager Matt Williams said he has seen players in the past that have been able to do that. "Sure,...
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Hearing from LaRoche, Fister and Espinosa after 7-1 rout of Mets

Hearing from LaRoche, Fister and Espinosa after 7-1 rout of Mets
The Nationals' home runs returned in a 7-1 rout of the Mets. Adam LaRoche hit a pair of homers while Danny Espinosa cranked a three-run shot. Starter Doug Fister did his part, too. He went 7 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run to post his 11th win of the season. LaRoche hadn't hit a home run since July 22. The two homers were his first at home since June 30. Did he feel any different at the plate Wednesday night? "Not really. Other than it's nice to see them go in the seats and...
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Nationals go after Niese in first at-bat (Nats win 7-1)

Nationals go after Niese in first at-bat (Nats win 7-1)
The Nationals strung together three straight hits to jump on Mets left-hander Jonathon Niese in the first inning. Anthony Rendon doubled off the wall in right-center to start the rally. Jayson Werth connected on an RBI single and the Nationals led 1-0. Adam LaRoche followed with his 14th homer of the season, a two-run shot over the right-center field wall and the Nationals advantage increased to 3-0. Nationals starter Doug Fister set the tone with a 1-2-3 top of the first. After one inning...
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Williams on idea of sending Harper to minors: "It's unacceptable. It won't happen"

Williams on idea of sending Harper to minors: "It's unacceptable. It won't happen"
Manager Matt Williams saved the best for last in his pregame meeting with the media Wednesday afternoon. Earlier this morning on his weekly radio appearance with "The Junkies" on 106.7 The Fan, Williams was asked about 21-year-old left fielder Bryce Harper. Responding to an inference that the Nats could send Harper to Triple-A because of his recent struggles offensively, Williams replied: "So I will caution everybody in this room," Williams said. "The minute you think you can read my...
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