Nationals looking ahead after falling to second place; Strasburg 11 K in second rehab start

With the 6-4 loss Monday to the Diamondbacks and the Mets 12-1 shellacking of the Marlins, the Nationals fell to second place in the National League East for the first time since June 19.

After the game, manager Matt Williams said his concern is about Tuesday's game.

"It can all change tomorrow," Williams said. "It's about tomorrow's game. We can be back where we want to be tomorrow. We'll have to play well. We'll have to beat those guys in the other dugout. At this point, feels like second place. That's where we're at. We'll try to get back to where we want to be starting tomorrow."

The players that spoke after the game were not in panic mode. Right fielder Bryce Harper said he does not scoreboard watch the Mets or any other team. He said they need to focus on this week's first series opponent, Arizona.

"You just really got to try to stay within our team," Harper said. "I really don't give a crap what the Mets are doing, or the Dodgers, or Giants or Texas or anybody. I could really care less. I know the (type of) team we are and our capability of going into some game having the confidence to win ballgames and playing guys like this team over here that have a losing record. We got to win these ballgames. We got to scratch and fight and claw and try to win these games, and hopefully, we can do that for the rest of the time we're here."

First baseman Ryan Zimmerman said they won't worry about the NL East standings right now because there is still a lot of regular season left to play.

"No. It's the beginning of August," Zimmerman said of his level of concern. "I think we just play every day and try to win that game. At the end of the year, we'll see where we're at. (There are) 50-some games left and we're a game out. You give me that situation every year and I'll take it every year."

Right-hander Doug Fister (4-7), saddled with his fourth loss in his last five decisions, said it's not a great feeling to relinquish the lead they had in the East this late in the season, a lead that was once as much as 4 1/2 games on July 5.

"Yeah, that's not good, but it's not the end of the season," Fister said. "We still got quite a bit of time left, and we've got to go out here every day and make sure we get our business done."

*

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg (oblique) had a solid second outing in his rehab assignment for Triple-A Syracuse. He got to within one out of completing the sixth inning and reached double-digit strikeouts.

"5 2/3 (innings), 85 (pitches), gave up four hits, two runs, struck out 11," said Williams. "It was a good outing."

He did not walk a batter and reportedly hit mid-90's mph on the radar gun.

So does that mean that Strasburg will make his next start this weekend in D.C. against Colorado?

"Well, we'll see how he feels," Williams said.

Jason Martinson hit a grand slam in the Chiefs 9-3 win over Pawtucket. Strasburg's last strikeout of the night was a curveball against former Nationals catcher Sandy Leon.