This and that as Nationals pile up club records during magical season

When the Nationals defeated the Dodgers, 3-1, in Game 1 of their doubleheader, they reached a club record of 90 wins on the season with 14 games left in the regular season. The Nationals now have 45 wins at home and on the road this season. The 45 wins at home are a new club record, as they won 44 games at home in 2011. Nationals Park has become a true home-field advantage; the Nationals are 89-64 (.582) there since beginning of 2011. Even in 2010, the home-field advantage was apparent as the team won only 69 games but went 41-40 at home. The Nationals have allowed only 533 runs this season, the fewest in Major League Baseball, for an average of just 3.6 runs allowed per game. They are on pace to shatter the club record for fewest runs allowed, which was 673 in 2005. The Nationals have scored 662 runs this season, an average of 4.5 runs per game. The club record for most runs scored is 746 in 2006. The Nationals would have to score at least six runs per game and score seven in one other game to break the club record for runs scored in a season. The Nationals have crushed their club record in home runs with 175. The old club record was 164 home runs in 2006. The Nationals have a good chance to reach the club record for hits in a season. The team currently has 1,345 hits. The club record was 1,437 hits in 2006. They would only need to average seven hits per game for the rest of the regular season to break that mark. The team does not have to be worried about ramping up their play for the postseason. Instead of facing the Cubs, Astros or Rockies, the Nationals schedule the rest of the season matches them up against potential postseason opponents. All of them are in the running for a wild card slot: Sept. 20: Dodgers - 2 GB of wild card Sept. 21-24: Brewers - 2 1/2 GB Sept. 25-27: @ Phillies - 4 GB Sept. 28-30: @ Cardinals - currently owns 2nd wild card Oct. 1-3: Phillies - 4 GB The Nationals (90-58) lead over the Reds (90-59) is down to 1/2 game for home-field advantage in the National League playoffs. Coolstandings.com reports the Nationals have a 96.7 percent chance of winning the division, 3.3 percent chance of earning a wild card slot and 100 percent chance of making the playoffs. Never say 100 percent chance (see Braves and Red Sox of 2011 for most recent examples), but it is certainly a strong foothold.