Inconsistency leads to third straight series loss

Inconsistency leads to third straight series loss
After winning a franchise best nine consecutive series, the Nationals dropped their third straight after falling 6-3 to the Cubs in the finale of this weekend's four game set. "Am I concerned? No, I'm not concerned," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "What we need to do is play every day. It's the same team that was really good in May. It's been a little rough for us recently, but there's no reason that we can't pull out of that, too. It's the same team that was rough in April....

Cubs pound 10 hits off Zimmermann, Nats lose 6-3

Cubs pound 10 hits off Zimmermann, Nats lose 6-3
The Cubs combined a double from left fielder Chris Coghlan and a single from shortstop Starlin Castro to score the game's first run in the second inning. The Nationals answered in the bottom of the frame. After Wilson Ramos reached on an error by Castro, Ian Desmond launched his fifth homer of the year to deep right-center field. Nats starter Jordan Zimmermann has allowed one run on three hits with a walk and two strikeouts through the first two innings. Update: The Cubs tied it up in the...

Runs hard to come by for Nats lately

Runs hard to come by for Nats lately
The Nationals have now dropped seven of their past nine games after the offense was non-existent for much of today's 4-2 loss. Cubs starter Jason Hammel, a Nats killer, ran his career record against Washington to 9-0 after allowing just two solo homers to Wilson Ramos and Bryce Harper while striking out seven over eight innings and a batter. It has been a while since Nats manager Matt Williams has appeared as frustrated as he was when meeting with the media after the loss. "Strikes, quality...

Despite loss, Joe Ross and his teammates felt confident in rookie's debut

Despite loss, Joe Ross and his teammates felt confident in rookie's debut
Right-hander Joe Ross started off well, did what he needed to do and kept the Nationals in the game in his major league debut Saturday versus the Cubs. Chicago won the game 4-2, but Ross did well for himself and the Nationals. He went five innings, allowed six hits, three runs, all earned, no walks and struck out four. He had to throw 91 pitches in those five innings, 68 were for strikes. The 22-year-old Ross rolled through the Cubs lineup the first time without allowing a run or a hit. He sent...

Offense shows life in Nats' 7-5 win

Offense shows life in Nats' 7-5 win
The Nationals offense has been struggling badly as of late, especially with runners in scoring position. Danny Espinosa took care of that early tonight. After Wilson Ramos singled to right and Ian Desmond ripped a double to left, Espinosa belted a monster three-run homer to deep left-center that landed in the seats beyond the Cubs bullpen. Espinosa is second on the Nationals behind Bryce Harper with seven home runs. Tanner Roark has made quick work of the Cubs so far. The right-hander has...

Nats dominated by Jays 8-0 in series finale

Nats dominated by Jays 8-0 in series finale
The Nationals won nine consecutive series behind an explosive offense and stingy pitching. Tonight, they had neither while falling to the Blue Jays 8-0 and dropping their second straight series. With Stephen Strasburg and Doug Fister on the disabled list, Nationals manager Matt Williams turned to right-hander Taylor Jordan to make a spot start tonight. It couldn't have started any worse for Jordan, who walked Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes, one of the game's most dangerous leadoff men, on...

Janssen's nightmare eighth costs Nats in 8-5 loss

Janssen's nightmare eighth costs Nats in 8-5 loss
The Nationals wasted no time pressuring Reds rookie Raisel Iglesias on Saturday. Yunel Escobar ripped a two-out double to left off the right-hander in the first. Ryan Zimmerman followed with a sharp line drive single to center, scoring Escobar for the game's first run. The Reds tried to answer right back in the bottom of the inning. Nats starter Gio Gonzalez gave up back-to-back one-out singles to first baseman Joey Votto and third baseman Todd Frazier before walking right fielder Jay Bruce...

Neck tightness forces Stephen Strasburg out early in Nats' loss

Neck tightness forces Stephen Strasburg out early in Nats' loss
The Nationals have lost only seven games the entire month of May. Stephen Strasburg has started four of them. The right-hander lasted just five batters tonight before exiting with an injury in a 5-2 loss to the Reds. "He came out of the game with left trap tightness ... trapezius muscle, neck tightness," Nationals manager Matt Williams told reporters after the game. Strasburg quickly got ahead of Reds catcher Brayan Pena 0-2 to start the second inning before delivering four consecutive balls...

Strasburg exits early with injury in Nats' 5-2 loss

Strasburg exits early with injury in Nats' 5-2 loss
Stephen Strasburg faced just five batters before leaving tonight's game with an undiclosed injury. With one out in the first, Reds first baseman Joey Votto belted a 97 mph fastball from Strasburg deep over the centerfield fence for a solo homer. Third baseman Todd Frazier followed with a single to left before Ryan Zimmerman ended the inning with an unassisted double play on a grounder from right fielder Jay Bruce. Strasburg immediately got ahead of catcher Brayan Pena 0-2 to start the second...

Scherzer and Harper provide relentless assault for Nats

Scherzer and Harper provide relentless assault for Nats
What more can you say about what Max Scherzer has brought to this Nationals team? Last night, Scherzer struck out a season-high 13 in holding the Cubs scoreless through seven innings. Scherzer was stalking around the mound all night as his intensity was on full display, as well as his full repertoire of pitches. "You never really know what you're gonna get," Ian Desmond said on "Nats Xtra" after the game. "It keeps you off balance even more. I mean, he's got essentially eight pitches. He...

Scherzer dominant in Nats' 3-0 win (Harper homers)

Scherzer dominant in Nats' 3-0 win (Harper homers)
Max Scherzer is on fire tonight. The Nationals' ace has elevated his fastball to 98 mph several times when needed. Scherzer has held the Cubs scoreless through six innings, allowing five hits with one walk and 11 strikeouts. It is the 29th 10-plus strikeout game of Scherzer's career and fourth this season. Bryce Harper helped Scherzer's cause in the sixth with his 18th homer of the season, which tied him with Seattle's Nelson Cruz for the major league lead. The opposite field blast is...

Late-inning mistakes ruin Nats' comeback in 3-2 walk-off loss

Late-inning mistakes ruin Nats' comeback in 3-2 walk-off loss
A well-pitched and well-played game was marred by two late gaffes as the Nationals wasted a nice comeback in a 3-2 walk-off loss to the Cubs. Storms blowing through Chicago left behind gusty winds at Wrigley Field that figured to provide fireworks tonight. But the Nationals' Jordan Zimmermann and the Cubs' Kyle Hendricks pitched gems, allowing just a solo home run apiece as both starters pitched seven complete innings. Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler tagged Zimmermann for a leadoff homer in...

Matt of Matt's Bats: Has Desmond put rocky start in rear-view mirror?

Matt of Matt's Bats: Has Desmond put rocky start in rear-view mirror?
Ian Desmond started the season off rocky. By rocky, I mean nine errors and 23 strikeouts in April. But Desmond, who some could argue is the best shortstop in baseball, has started to turn it on and is playing more like the Desmond we knew in past years. As showcased in the Nationals' series against the Yankees and Phillies last week, Desmond still has some pop in his bat. He hit two home runs, just missed a third and is on a 10-game hit streak. While he wasn't as productive to start the...

Bryce Harper showing smarts on offense and defense as he looks to play full season with Nats

Bryce Harper showing smarts on offense and defense as he looks to play full season with Nats
It happens to young players looking to prove they belong on the big stage and have the ability to play with the big boys. Steven Souza Jr. did it last season, a sickening collision with the outfield wall in Atlanta. Bryce Harper did it at least twice, once against the Dodgers and once against the Braves. Both went after long fly balls that appeared to be impossible to catch. But they went for it. On all three plays, the player was injured or shook up pretty good. Then on Sunday in Nationals...

Streaky Desmond heating up again

Streaky Desmond heating up again
There weren't many bright spots for the Nationals yesterday in the 8-1 drubbing by the Phillies. But if you're stretching for positives, look toward Ian Desmond's eighth-inning RBI double that not only prevented a shutout but also extended the shortstop's hitting streak to eight games. On Friday, Desmond drove in the eventual game-winning run with another double high off the center field wall. The two games prior to that, Desmond hit solo homers to center in the first inning to answer early...

Not the same Stephen Strasburg so far

Not the same Stephen Strasburg so far
Stephen Strasburg is at a point in his six-year career that he has never experienced before. The tall righty didn't make it through the fourth inning for the third time in his last four starts as the Phillies pounded him early and often in today's 8-1 victory over the Nationals. The loss snaps the Nats' six-game winning streak, but they can still capture their eighth straight series with a win in the finale tomorrow. More importantly though, are the issues with Strasburg, who's ERA balloons...

Williams on defense, Cole and Janssen; players react to 8-1 "clunker"

Williams on defense, Cole and Janssen; players react to 8-1 "clunker"
Saturday's 8-1 loss to the Phillies was a tough one for the Nationals with Stephen Strasburg allowing six runs, five earned over just 3 2/3 innings. It's the third start in the past four where he did not complete four frames. But, the defense was not stellar either. The sloppy fielding netted four errors, tying a season-high from the April 27 8-4 loss at Atlanta. Nationals manager Matt Williams said they didn't take any solace from the loss just because they have played better defense during...

It's the Max Scherzer show

It's the Max Scherzer show
Phillies starter Sean O'Sullivan has probably seen enough of Max Scherzer this season and we're not even through May. Not only did Scherzer outpitch O'Sullivan for the third time this season, but he also beat him with a base hit in the sixth inning that led to Scherzer scoring the game-winning run in the Nationals' 2-1 victory. It's the Nationals' sixth straight win, their longest streak of the season, and their 18-4 (.818) record in their past 22 games matches the best 22-game stretch in...

Harper's 16th homer another to admire in Nationals' 2-1 win over the Phillies

Harper's 16th homer another to admire in Nationals' 2-1 win over the Phillies
Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper makes the incredible look commonplace. The back-to-back National League player of the week hit another home run Friday, No. 16 on the year, to open the scoring in a 2-1 win over the Phillies. He leads the National League in home runs and is one behind Nelson Cruz of Seattle (17) for the most homers in the majors. In the month of May alone, Harper has hit 11 homers with 24 RBIs. Shortstop Ian Desmond was asked what he thought of Harper's run this month. "I...

David Huzzard: Should Nationals be targeting Rockies' Tulowitzki?

David Huzzard: Should Nationals be targeting Rockies' Tulowitzki?
When the Nationals signed Max Scherzer to a seven-year, $210 million contract, they signaled that they were not only going for it in 2015 but where going to be competitive for a long time. Unfortunately, many ignored the fact that it was a multi-year contract and labeled it a win-now move. The Nationals are very interested in winning in 2015 and general manager Mike Rizzo has shown a willingness to do what it takes to construct a roster capable of doing just that, but he also wants to be able...