Johnson discusses Nats' 6-3 loss

Johnson discusses Nats' 6-3 loss
PHILADELPHIA - The combination of the Nationals' loss to the Phillies and the Braves' dramatic walk-off win over the Marlins leaves Washington's lead in the NL East at four with eight games to go in the regular season. Your thoughts, Davey Johnson? "Just got to win tomorrow," the Nationals' skipper said. "We lost a battle today, we've got to win a battle tomorrow. Want to win the war." The Nats aren't panicking yet. They would've liked to keep pace with Atlanta today and cut into...
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Lannan heating up, Phils looming down the stretch

Lannan heating up, Phils looming down the stretch
John Lannan is starting to heat up at the right time. The expected replacement for Stephen Strasburg in the Nationals rotation (once Strasburg is shut down) was named the International League Player of the Week for August 20-26. Lannan, who has spent nearly this entire season with Triple-A Syracuse, threw a complete-game, three-hit shutout Saturday in a 1-0 win over Gwinnett. The left-hander threw just 87 pitches, walked one and struck out two. Over his last four starts for Syracuse, Lannan...
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During losing string, bullpen having trouble bridging

During losing string, bullpen having trouble bridging
One reason for the Nationals' four-game losing streak is the bullpen's inability to hold the game at one or two runs. In every one of the four games the Nationals have lost since Wednesday, relievers have allowed at least one run. On Thursday, the Braves scored three runs in the ninth to extend a 2-1 lead to 5-1. Atlanta won the game by that score. On Friday, the Phillies tallied a crucial run in the eighth after the Nats had pulled with 3-2 on a Tyler Moore two-run homer just an inning...
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Addressing a few key topics after a weekend to forget

Addressing a few key topics after a weekend to forget
If it's not too painful, let's take a little time to nibble on some leftovers from this weekend's three-game sweep in Philadelphia. Settle in. Grab some coffee. There are a few topics to discuss. Topic No. 1: Mike Rizzo and Davey Johnson met after yesterday's game and Johnson was heard getting a bit heated during the discussion in his office, shouting, "You come down and manage the team!" Yes, this happened. Is this a big deal? Is it a sign of the team morale deteriorating or an...
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Nats far from concerned over three-game mini-skid

Nats far from concerned over  three-game mini-skid
PHILADELPHIA - Look out, everyone. The Nationals have lost three games in a row. The best team in baseball is starting to fall apart. "Three! Ugh. We're ready to quit," Ryan Zimmerman said last night, tongue firmly planted in cheek. "Everything's going to go into shambles." In all seriousness, from the reaction of many fans on Twitter last night, you'd think the Nationals' season was crumbling to the ground. They've dropped three straight games, yes, but still hold the best...
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Nats can't touch Kendrick (Nats lose 4-2)

Nats can't touch Kendrick (Nats lose 4-2)
PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals just can't seem to solve Kyle Kendrick this season. Against teams who don't wear a Curly W on their helmets, Kendrick has been average at best, making 15 starts and pitching to a 4.52 ERA. In starts against the Nationals, Kendrick has put up a 1.50 ERA over 18 innings. The Phillies right-hander has now made three starts against the Nats this season. Tonight, he's thrown six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits in the process. Overall, Kendrick has been...
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Suzuki, Desmond both in Nats lineup

Suzuki, Desmond both in Nats lineup
PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals kick off a brief five-game road trip tonight against the Phillies, who come into this three-game set riding a bit of an emotional high after last night's walk-off win over the Reds. The Cincinnati loss puts the Nats three games up on the Reds in the loss column for the best record in baseball. The Nats also got some help from the Giants last night, as the Braves dropped a game out west to push them 6 1/2 games back in the National League East. The Nats will send...
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Revisiting a couple of criticized spring predictions

Revisiting a couple of criticized spring predictions
Before the start of the 2012 season, a late-August series between the Nationals and Phillies at Citizens Bank Park might have sounded like a highly dramatic divisional clash. Instead, this upcoming three-game series in the City of Brotherly Love will pit a first-place team against one which sits 19 1/2 games back in the National League East. Given the Phillies' issues this season and the tear the Nats have been on, I wouldn't be surprised to see a good amount of Curly Ws in the stands over...
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Even with Phillies down, Nats know journey to pennant goes through Philly

Even with Phillies down, Nats know journey to pennant goes through Philly
The Nationals head on the road to Philadelphia and Miami for the next six days, but they have felt right at home living out of a suitcase this season. Another major component of why the Nationals are so good this year has been their ability to play their best baseball on the road. The 41-23 record (.641) is six victories better than their nearest competition. Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Cincinnati all have 35 wins away from home. The Nationals have won 14 of their last 17 games on the...
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Upon further review, Nationals have really gotten to those Phillies

Upon further review, Nationals have really gotten to those Phillies
The Nationals have become a machine. Rolling through the National League, they have amassed 70 wins, the first team in the majors to do so. With Jayson Werth back in the lineup and Michael Morse swinging the hottest of bats, the Nationals have added consistent offense to what has been the best pitching in the league for the first 100 games. And then there are the Phillies. Wait a minute, you mean, and then there are the Braves. Absolutely, the Braves are also humming along. They have...
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A few bad pitches, a few missed opportunities

A few bad pitches, a few missed opportunities
The Phillies hit so many balls hard off Edwin Jackson tonight that the Nationals starter initially thought he might have been tipping his pitches. After going back and watching some film, Jackson shot down that theory. He came away from that mini film session with a new idea of why he surrendered three home runs and gave up eight hits over 5 2/3 innings. "I just got hurt on balls up in the zone," Jackson said. Yeah, that'll usually do it. "Got behind in some counts," Jackson...
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Bats absent in Nationals' 3-2 loss

Bats absent in Nationals' 3-2 loss
In the 18 innings played so far in this series, the Nationals have scored just two runs off Phillies pitching. Think they miss Ryan Zimmerman, who has been out of the starting lineup for both of these games because of a back injury? The Nats dropped their second straight contest to the rival Phils tonight, this one by a 3-2 score. Phillies starter Vance Worley held the Nationals to just two runs (both unearned) on six hits over his seven innings of work. He walked just one and needed only 86...
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It's a battle for Edwin Jackson (Nats trail late)

It's a battle for Edwin Jackson (Nats trail late)
It hasn't been the smoothest night for Edwin Jackson. He's allowed 11 baserunners in five innings, surrendered three home runs and has needed 94 pitches to get himself through his five frames. Somehow, despite all that action on the bases and all the lengthy innings, Jackson has managed to give up just three runs this far. The Nationals trail 3-2 as we go to the sixth. All three homers off Jackson have been solo shots (two by Jimmy Rollins, who is absolutely on fire right now), and the...
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Johnson discusses 8-0 loss to Phillies

Johnson discusses 8-0 loss to Phillies
Three starts ago, Stephen Strasburg pitched six scoreless innings, striking out seven Marlins. Two outings ago, Strasburg got hit around a bit by the Braves, allowing four runs and 11 baserunners over 5 1/3. His last time out, the Nationals ace was dominant, striking out 11 over seven one-run innings in Flushing, NY. Tonight, the run of inconsistency continued, as Strasburg lasted just four innings, surrendering six Phillies runs on eight hits. In Davey Johnson's eyes, it wasn't hard to...
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Phillies purge, National League contenders improve

Phillies purge, National League contenders improve
The Phillies are throwing in the towel, dishing veterans off and, for the first time in years, looking to build toward the future. In the process, the Nationals' National League competitors are bolstering their rosters for a playoff push. Both the Giants and Dodgers have swung deals to acquire a Phillies outfielder, with San Francisco reportedly trading for Hunter Pence and Los Angeles bringing in Shane Victorino. I'm not sure who the Phillies plan on putting in the outfield over the next...
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Pregame notes on Espinosa, Werth

Pregame notes on Espinosa, Werth
FLUSHING, N.Y. - There's been some major movement going on in the National League East lately. First, it looked like the Braves were set to acquire Ryan Dempster from the Cubs, only to have that deal apparently fall through when Dempster seemed unwilling to go to Atlanta. Now, the Braves claim they've moved on from Dempster and are looking at other options. Then the Marlins traded Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante to the Tigers. Miami followed that deal up by shipping Hanley Ramirez and Randy...
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Which division opponent poses the biggest threat?

Which division opponent poses the biggest threat?
It was announced this afternoon that Bryce Harper was named as the Nationals' team winner of the 2012 Heart and Hustle Award, given out by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association. The award honors active players who demonstrate a passion for the game and best embody the values, spirit and tradition of the game of baseball. What a shocker - Harper winning an award for demonstrating passion and hustle. If there was ever was an award that screamed out "Bryce Harper," it's this...
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Getting a little distance within the division

Getting a little distance within the division
As Giants first baseman Brandon Belt failed to secure a low, skipping throw and Adam LaRoche crossed first base safely in the ninth inning of last night's game, plating the game-winning run for the Nationals, a group of ballplayers about 650 miles away let out a frustrated groan. According to reporters in Atlanta, Braves players watching the end of last night's Nationals game on a clubhouse TV made a loud, exasperated noise and dropped a few expletives when it became clear the Nats had...
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Harper discusses facing Hamels a second time around

Harper discusses facing Hamels a second time around
PHILADELPHIA - Bryce Harper was asked after tonight's game whether he got the feeling early on that his old buddy Cole Hamels was going to keep the Nationals off-balance all night. "Um, me personally, no," Harper said. "But maybe for everybody else, I guess. I felt good against him." Harper went 1-for-3 with a single and a walk against Hamels tonight, but it was his first at-bat that he was lamenting after the game. The Nats right fielder took a 90 mph cutter out to deep left in the...
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Nats can't solve Hamels, fall to Phillies 4-1

Nats can't solve Hamels, fall to Phillies 4-1
PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals have won 10 series this season. They still only have one sweep, and that was of the two-game variety. For the ninth time this season, the Nationals entered a series finale with a chance to earn a sweep and came up short. They lost to the Phillies 4-1, with Cole Hamels again cruising through an outing against Nats hitters. He held them scoreless over eight innings, allowing just four hits and three walks and striking out eight. The Nats had chances, but Hamels was...
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