With velocity back, Cole returns to majors (Nationals win 8-2)

ATLANTA - There is probably some irony in the fact that A.J. Cole made his first appearance in a big league clubhouse of the season at Turner Field, the site of his first career big league appearance, and one that did not go particularly well.

Few remember the details of Cole's debut on April 28, 2015, because they were an afterthought by night's end. The Nationals rookie right-hander was torched for nine runs in two innings, but his teammates got him off the hook with the biggest rally in club history, culminating with Dan Uggla's ninth-inning homer to seal a 13-12 victory over the Braves.

Cole was sent back to Triple-A Syracuse after that ignominious debut, and though he returned in May, he made only two relief appearances and wasn't among the club's September call-ups.

Now, the 24-year-old is back in a Nationals uniform (wearing No. 22 this time after being given No. 69 last season), summoned to give the club a fresh arm after a three-game series in Colorado that overtaxed the bullpen.

"You never know when you're going to get a call. You've always got to be ready," he said. "That's what I've been trying to do this whole year: Stay ready, so if I get the call I'll be ready, no matter the situation."

The situation may permit Cole to stick around for only one day. He's here in case rookie starter Reynaldo Lopez gets knocked out early, or in case the Nationals need relief innings. But with first baseman Ryan Zimmerman set to return from the disabled list Friday, Cole looks like a safe bet to return to Triple-A.

Cole's numbers at Syracuse (8-8 with a 4.26 ERA in 22 starts) won't turn many heads, but his performance of late (2.80 ERA over his last five starts) did convince club officials he was worthy of this promotion.

"And that's what counts," manager Dusty Baker said. "His reports have been good. I just saw him in spring training for the first time. I told him he's probably our long man tonight. Hopefully, we don't need him. But after that, then he's middle and short."

Cole said he has been pleased this season, mostly because of the return of the velocity that eluded him last year. When he debuted in Atlanta in 2015, his fastball barely topped 90 mph. That's where it sat much of the first half of the season, he said.

After some mechanical tweaks and a heavier offseason training program, he is now hitting 95 mph on a regular basis. That's been a welcome development, though Cole has managed to find the positives in his diminished radar gun readings from last year.

"It's not normal for me to throw with lower velocity, but that also taught me how to pitch," he said. "I had to locate my stuff. I couldn't miss over the plate the way I used to. So, I think it actually helped."

Update: The Nationals' series opener against the Braves is being delayed by some heavy storms that began to sweep through the area late this afternoon and could be lingering a while longer.

Batting practice had to be called off before it could begin at 5:30 p.m., with lightning and thunder strikes surrounding the stadium. The Braves have made no formal announcements, but the forecast suggests the rain could remain for at least another hour.

Update II: The rain has eased up, the tarp has just been removed and the Braves are saying tonight's game will start at approximately 8:25 p.m.

Update III: And we're underway at last after a rain delay that officially lasted 1 hour, 16 minutes.

Update IV: Two innings are in the books, and the Nats have taken a 2-0 lead. Or, I should say, the Braves have given the Nats a 2-0 lead. Or, I should really say, Matt Kemp has given the Nats a 2-0 lead. That's because the veteran left fielder flat-out dropped a routine fly ball to the warning track that would've end the top of the first with no runs across the plate, but wound up letting both Trea Turner and Bryce Harper score. It was about as bad a play as you'll ever see a major leaguer make.

Lopez, meanwhile, has looked really sharp early on. Through two scoreless innings, he already has five strikeouts, including one of Freddie Freeman that ended with a high, 98-mph fastball.

Update V: Hoo-boy, does Lopez look impressive tonight or what? He had eight strikeouts through three innings. He now has nine through four innings, though the Braves did get him for their first run in the bottom of the fourth via Kemp's double, Pedro Severino's passed ball and Nick Markakis' sacrifice fly. So, the Nats lead is down to 2-1 as we move to the fifth.

Update VI: We're through six innings now, and the Nats lead is 3-2. They scored their third run thanks to doubles by Severino and Jayson Werth in the top of the fifth. Werth's double extended his streak of games reaching base to 46, which ties Rusty Staub for the Expos/Nationals franchise record.

The Braves, however, got a run back in the bottom of the sixth when Freeman (who else?) doubled, took third on a wild pitch and then scored on a grounder to third. Lopez has struck out 11, and now he's back to the mound for the bottom of the seventh with his pitch count at 90.

Update VII: And this game has officially gotten out of hand. Remember when it was 3-2 and Lopez's scoreless bottom of the seventh seemed like a key moment? Yeah, not so much anymore. That's because the Nationals scored five runs in the top of the eighth via two hits, three walks, a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch, a passed ball and an error. Honestly, the only thing missing was a balk. It's suddenly 8-2 Nats. Crazy.

Update VIII: It's over. Nats win 8-2. They lead the Marlins by 9 1/2 games.