Michael A. Taylor smacks walk-off homer in 5-2 win

Michael A. Taylor smacks walk-off homer in 5-2 win
Tanner Roark worked through an eventful first inning. Cameron Maybin slapped a one-out single to left and then Roark picked him off. Freddie Freeman followed with a double, drilled off the wall in right. Then Roark hit A.J. Pierzynski before getting Adonis Garcia to ground out to end the frame. After allowing Bryce Harper to score four times on four walks last night, the Braves decided to challenge the Nats slugger tonight. Facing a full count with two outs, Harper pulverized a fastball from...

Nats game blog: Nats seek series with over Marlins with Strasburg on hill

Nats game blog: Nats seek series with over Marlins with Strasburg on hill
The Nationals are seeking their fourth consecutive series win and a chance to even their won-loss record against the Marlins with today's finale at Nationals Park. Right-hander Stephen Strasburg is looking for his 10th career win against the Marlins and is 3-1 with a 1.73 ERA since Aug. 8. The Marlins counter with left-hander Brad Hand, who is 0-3 with a 7.85 ERA in four starts against the Nationals. He went a career-high eight innings and allowed only two runs in a 5-2 victory over Pittsburgh...

Stephen Strasburg looks to continue dominant stretch (with lineups)

Stephen Strasburg looks to continue dominant stretch (with lineups)
Stephen Strasburg aims to deliver the Nationals' fourth consecutive series win when he takes the mound in the finale against the Marlins this afternoon. Strasburg has overmatched hitters in four starts since returning from the disabled list on Aug. 8 after missing more than a month with a strained left oblique. The hard-throwing right-hander is 3-1 with a 1.73 ERA while striking out 32 and walking just three in 26 innings over the four-game stretch. Battling nagging injuries, Strasburg's ERA...

Nats flex their muscles with three homers in 5-1 win

Nats flex their muscles with three homers in 5-1 win
For the first time in 11 days, the Nationals actually gained ground on the Mets. The Red Sox helped the Nats by knocking off the Mets 3-1, while Washington took care of business, smacking three homers in a 5-1 win over Miami. Ryan Zimmerman began the longball parade with a solo shot into the Red Porch to start the second. He has now driven in runs in six straight games. Zimmerman is batting .286 (6-for-21) with three homers and 11 RBIs over the mini hot streak. "I think he's swinging it good....

Williams on Desmond's durability, Span, Taylor and Escobar

Williams on Desmond's durability, Span, Taylor and Escobar
With all the injuries the Nationals have had to deal with this season, one constant in the lineup has been starting shortstop Ian Desmond. He was given a day off here and there because his offensive game wasn't as consistent in the first half of the season, but any nagging nicks and bruises never prevented him from missing any time. The rest of the projected starting infield has not been so fortunate. Anthony Rendon (left knee sprain), Yunel Escobar (hand) and Ryan Zimmerman (foot) have all...

Turner displays speed on defense in start, now looking for first base hit in majors

Turner displays speed on defense in start, now looking for first base hit in majors
Trea Turner made his first major league start at a new position, second base, and made a couple of impressive plays on defense that showcased his speed, balance and glove work. Turner is still looking for his first major league base hit. He went 0-4 with three of the four outs on fly balls or a line out to right field. Turner looked comfortable at second base even though shortstop is his natural position. Turner had played 161 minor league games at shortstop and only two games at second base...

Scherzer not crisp, inability to generate big inning leads to Nats' 4-3 loss

Scherzer not crisp, inability to generate big inning leads to Nats' 4-3 loss
The Nationals fell to the Marlins 4-3 on Friday night in a game they pretty much had to have against a team near the basement in the National League East. Right-hander Max Scherzer allowed a couple of early home runs and the Nationals failed to score more than one run with the bases loaded and no outs in the sixth. That all added to a demoralizing one-run setback to a 77-loss club. The Marlins are now surprising 6-4 against the Nationals this season. Miami is 46-73 against everyone else and...

Nats game blog: Nats have one more shot at series win over Friars

Nats game blog: Nats have one more shot at series win over Friars
The Nationals have another shot tonight at a series win as they wrap up a three-game set against the San Diego Padres. Washington has gone 4-2 against the Friars this season and is 16-9 against San Diego since 2012. But the Padres lead the overall series 38-30. The Nationals also haven't lost a series to the Padres since 2011. Right-hander Joe Ross (4-5, 3.56 ERA) opposes righty Andrew Cashner (5-12, 4.03 ERA). Ian Desmond is 3-for-10 against Cashner, while Ryan Zimmerman has the lone...

Trea Turner on facing his former team for first time since trade

Trea Turner on facing his former team for first time since trade
Nationals shortstop Trea Turner was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the first round in June, 2014. This season, in the middle of June, he was the player to be named later as part of a three-team, 11-player trade that finally brought him to the Nationals. This week, Turner is getting a chance to face the team that selected him with their top pick in 2014. Turner looked over and saw some familiar faces as he worked in a pregame fielding session Tuesday. "Yeah, it's different just seeing them...

Nationals' two-out RBIs, patient at-bats key to series win over Brewers

Nationals' two-out RBIs, patient at-bats key to series win over Brewers
It was nice to see the offense take advantage of opportunities in winning their series against the Brewers. In 6-1 and 9-5 wins over the weekend against Milwaukee, the Nationals went 6-for-15 with runners in scoring position. Even more importantly, the Nationals were able to get two-out base hits that scored runs. In wins Saturday and Sunday, the Nationals combined for 12 two-out RBIs. Danny Espinosa and Anthony Rendon each had three RBIs Sunday, while Ryan Zimmerman and Ian Desmond also added...

Ian Desmond reacts to Trea Turner joining Nationals

Ian Desmond reacts to Trea Turner joining Nationals
Ian Desmond is experiencing the toughest season of his seven-year career. The 29-year-old has slashed a lowly .211/.255/.334 with a .589 OPS through the first three months, hitting just eight homers, driving in only 24 runs and committing a whopping 20 errors. But since the All-Star break, Desmond revived his season, batting .274 while leading the Nationals with eight homers and 21 RBIs. The Nats shortstop has improved in the field as well, recording just three errors. With his contract set to...

Stephen Strasburg dominant in 4-1 win

Stephen Strasburg dominant in 4-1 win
An error and wild pitch led to the Rockies' first run of game. With one out, Ben Paulsen hit a sharp grounder down the first base line. Ryan Zimmerman shifted to his left but the ball skipped over his glove and into right field. Paulsen hustled to second on Zimmerman's third error of the season. D.J. LeMahieu's groundout advanced Paulsen to third. With Nick Hundley batting, Stephen Strasburg bounced a curveball that jumped away from Wilson Ramos. The Nats catcher hustled to the ball, but his...

Nationals game blog: Stephen Strasburg aims to foil Rockies

Nationals game blog: Stephen Strasburg aims to foil Rockies
The Nationals snapped their six-game losing streak, scoring a whopping 15 runs, in last night's win over the Rockies. It was the eighth time the Nats scored 10 or more runs this season. Ian Desmond continued swinging a hot bat, going 3-for-6 with a double and four RBIs. In his last 27 games, Desmond is slashing .313/.376/.606 with eight homers, three doubles, one triple, 19 runs scored and 21 RBIs. Desmond is hitting .436 in 19 career games at Coors Field. Bryce Harper walked a career-high...

Anthony Rendon sits, Danny Espinosa starts again (with lineups)

Anthony Rendon sits, Danny Espinosa starts again (with lineups)
Other than slotting Stephen Strasburg in as tonight's starter, Nationals manager Matt Williams didn't touch his lineup card from last night, a lineup that produced 15 runs. That means Jayson Werth remains the leadoff hitter and Anthony Rendon sits for the second consecutive night while Danny Espinosa starts at second base. Espinosa was 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored in last night's win. He's hitting .385 (5-for-13) with two homers and four RBIs in six games...

Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman break out with a big night

Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman break out with a big night
Searching for a way to ignite his slumping offense and jumpstart his grizzled veteran's season, Nationals manager Matt Williams opted to pencil in Jayson Werth in the leadoff spot Tuesday night. For one night, the move delivered, with Werth ripping a double and a single, drawing a walk and scoring all three times he reached base in the Nationals' 15-6 win over the Rockies in the series opener. "It's comfortable for him, he's been there before," Williams told reporters. "He's a good run...

Losing streak ends with offensive explosion

Losing streak ends with offensive explosion
It wasn't pretty for a while, but the Nationals finally took advantage of Coors Field to put an end to their six-game losing skid with a lopsided 15-6 win over the Rockies. With the Mets beating the Orioles 5-3, the Nats needed this seesaw battle to tip in their favor just to remain within 4 1/2 games of the lead in the National League East. "We came out offensively and had a good approach tonight," Nationals manager Matt Williams said to reporters. "This ballpark, you never know. Six...

Nationals game blog: Nats need Jordan Zimmermann to be the stopper

Nationals game blog: Nats need Jordan Zimmermann to be the stopper
The Nationals limp into Denver after being booted out of L.A. and San Francisco on this disastrous 10-game road trip. The numbers are terrible: .179 team batting average over a six-game losing streak, which includes three shutouts, and starting pitchers unable to pitch out of the fifth inning in four of the six defeats. Time to throw them all out of the window. With 45 games remaining and trailing the first place Mets by 4 1/2 games, these Nats must begin their turnaround tonight against the...

Nationals game blog: Offense looks to break through

Nationals game blog: Offense looks to break through
The Nationals have plated just one run over a current three-game losing streak. They will face struggling Giants right-hander Matt Cain, who has allowed four or more runs in five of his seven starts this season. Cain is 5-5 with a 3.34 in 14 career regular season starts against the Nats. Ian Desmond is 4-for-13 (.308) with two homers, three RBIs and two walks over his last four games. The 29-year-old owns a .357 (5-for-14) lifetime average off Cain with a home run. Jayson Werth is 5-for-10...

Offense quiet again as Nats lose 3-1

Offense quiet again as Nats lose 3-1
The Nationals broke a 19-inning scoreless streak right out of the gates. Yunel Escobar drove Ryan Vogelsong's first pitch of the game just over the wall in left-center for his third leadoff homer of the year. It was Escobar's eighth longball of the season and the Nats' seventh to start a game this season. After Vogelsong walked Bryce Harper, Giants shortstop Brandon Belt robbed Ryan Zimmerman on a blistered grounder to force Harper at second. Vogelsong then issued back-to-back free passes to...

Joe Ross knocked out in fifth, Nats lose 5-0

Joe Ross knocked out in fifth, Nats lose 5-0
Rookie Joe Ross is battling control issues for the first time in the big leagues. The right-hander entered tonight's game with just four walks in his seven starts in the majors. He had never walked more than one in a game. Tonight, Ross issued back-to-back walks to Andre Ethier and Yasmani Grandal to start the second. But Ross settled down and retired the next three Dodgers in order in escape the early jam. Ross wasn't as lucky in the fourth. Ethier lifted a changeup to the gap in left-center...