Bryce Harper leaves 5-3 loss with mild hamstring strain

Bryce Harper leaves 5-3 loss with mild hamstring strain
Bryce Harper leaves in sixth: Harper left the game in the sixth after it appeared that his left leg gave out on a throw to the plate. Harper immediately went to the ground after the throw and remained there for a few minutes as Nationals manager Matt Williams and head athletic trainer Lee Kuntz jogged out to check on him. Kuntz seemed to be examining the area around Harper's left knee. That's the same knee that was struck by a fastball on June 13 in Milwaukee, which forced Harper to miss the...

Ross impresses in first major league win (Harper injury update)

Ross impresses in first major league win (Harper injury update)
After a couple of weeks of erratic baseball, the Nationals seemed to rally around right-hander Joe Ross in a dominant and complete effort to help the rookie nab his first career major league win in a 7-2 victory over the Brewers. Milwaukee scored two on Ross in the second, but that was it as the 22-year-old went on to blank them for the next six frames while allowing seven hits with one walk and eight strikeouts over eight innings in just his second big league start. "It's not easy,"...

Ross, Nats dominant in 7-2 win (Harper injured)

Ross, Nats dominant in 7-2 win (Harper injured)
The Nationals triggered their struggling offense early today. Anthony Rendon and Yunel Escobar each knocked a one-out base hit in the first. Bryce Harper then delivered his 50th RBI of the season on a line drive single to left field, which scored Rendon. But the Nats left two on as Wilson Ramos struck out and Danny Espinosa grounded out to end the inning. Nationals rookie starter Joe Ross retired the Brewers in order in the bottom of the first before running into trouble in the second. First...

Span in, Zimmerman out in Bronx finale (with lineups)

Span in, Zimmerman out in Bronx finale (with lineups)
The Nationals will get their second look at Yankees right-hander Nathan Eovaldi this season. Ian Desmond and Bryce Harper both tagged Eovaldi for solo homers on May 19 as the Nats scored five runs in his 4 1/3 innings. Harper bombed his 20th homer of the year in last night's loss. The blast came in the 58th game, making Harper the fastest player to reach the 20-homer mark in Nationals history (2005-present). Harper trails only Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton for the major league lead in home...

Scherzer takes the loss as Nats fall 6-1

Scherzer takes the loss as Nats fall 6-1
In a game featuring top-flight starting pitching, a couple of solo homers are the only runs on the scoreboard. Nationals starter Max Scherzer flinched first. Leading off the third inning, Yankees second baseman Stephen Drew belted a fastball over the right field fence. Scherzer missed on the heater, leaving it on the inner half of the plate and Drew made him pay with his eighth longball of the season. Bryce Harper answered for the Nats in the fourth. Facing a 1-0 count with two outs, Harper...

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....

Escobar returns, Zimmerman sits (with lineups)

Escobar returns, Zimmerman sits (with lineups)
Yunel Escobar returns to the Nationals lineup this afternoon after missing the past two games with a sore right wrist. Escobar injured his wrist on a check swing in the first inning of Thursday's loss to the Cubs and immediately left the game. Nationals manager Matt Williams has Escobar slated to bat second and playing third base with Anthony Rendon still in the cleanup role and at second base. Tyler Moore starts at first base today as Ryan Zimmerman gets a day off. Zimmerman, still hampered...

Span continues stunning defense and Ross set for debut (with lineups)

Span continues stunning defense and Ross set for debut (with lineups)
Denard Span leads the Nationals into today's early afternoon game against the Cubs. Despite recovering from two offseason abdominal surgeries and currently dealing with a sore right knee, Span continues to play defense at the highest level. With the Nats clinging a two-run lead in the eighth inning last night, Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo blasted a sinker from right-hander Blake Treinen the opposite way to deep left-center field. Span, who was shading the left-handed Rizzo to pull,...

Williams juggles lineup hoping to spark Zimmerman

Williams juggles lineup hoping to spark Zimmerman
Nationals manager Matt Williams will again be short-handed tonight, playing without Yunel Escobar, who injured his right wrist on a check-swing during his first at-bat last night. Escobar left the game immediately and underwent X-rays shortly after, which proved negative. "He's still a little sore so we'll have to keep evaluating day to day and see where he's at," Williams said. "It's a big force coming through there when you're fully committed to a swing and then you try to stop it,...

Rendon starts at third as Escobar sits (with lineups)

Rendon starts at third as Escobar sits (with lineups)
Yunel Escobar is out of the lineup tonight after injuring his right wrist during a checked swing in his first at-bat in last night's 2-1 loss to the Cubs. X-rays were negative for Escobar, who was due for further evaluations today at Nationals Park. Anthony Rendon gets the start at third base in his second game of the season. He debuted with a single and a double in four at-bats yesterday. Danny Espinosa will play second base tonight. Rendon will hit cleanup for the Nationals tonight, while...

On second thought, maybe Anthony Rendon will play third

On second thought, maybe Anthony Rendon will play third
The Nationals can't seem to catch a break. Teammates welcomed Anthony Rendon back to the lineup last night. The 24-year-old took the field at second base to start the game and then singled in his first at-bat. But when the second inning started, Rendon moved over to third base, replacing Yunel Escobar, who was forced to leave the game after feeling pain in his right wrist following a check swing. Nationals manager Matt Williams said X-rays taken on Escobar's wrist were negative. Escobar will...

Update on Escobar's wrist, Rendon's return, Gonzalez's bounce back after rough first inning

Update on Escobar's wrist, Rendon's return, Gonzalez's bounce back after rough first inning
Nationals manager Matt Williams said third baseman Yunel Escobar left the game because of a right wrist injury. The X-Rays at the stadium were negative. "Yunel on the check swing, his right wrist wasn't feeling good so we'll evaluate that tomorrow and see where he's at," Williams reported postgame. "They took an X-Ray, he's fine. There's no issue there, he just tweaked it trying to check up." Escobar exited the game to begin the top of the second. Danny Espinosa was called in to play...

Quiet bats spoil Rendon's return in Nats' 2-1 loss

Quiet bats spoil Rendon's return in Nats' 2-1 loss
Much like tonight's game, Gio Gonzalez was slow to get started. After a 1-hour, 51-minute rain delay, Gonzalez loaded the bases on a walk and two singles. He then battled Cubs right fielder Junior Lake before walking him on the eighth pitch to bring center fielder Dexter Fowler to the plate for the game's first run. The Cubs followed with another run on shortstop Starlin Castro's double play grounder. It was the first test for Anthony Rendon who received the flip from Ian Desmond and...

After frustrating injuries, Rendon ready to make season debut (game started)

After frustrating injuries, Rendon ready to make season debut (game started)
Anthony Rendon hasn't played a game with his Nationals teammates since March 9. The 24-year-old is set to bat second and start at second base in his season debut tonight after the Nats reinstated him from the disabled list earlier this afternoon. "It feels good," Rendon said. "I had a frustrating few months, but I'm happy to be back." Rendon initially sprained his left MCL on a spectacular diving play in his third exhibition game. After second and third opinions from renowned...

Homers hurt Scherzer as Nats fall 7-3

Homers hurt Scherzer as Nats fall 7-3
Max Scherzer labored through a 26-pitch first inning, which included a walk and a poor throwing error from Yunel Escobar. Scherzer seemed to get back on track as he retired the first two batters of the second inning on just three pitches. But with two outs, Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar pulled a solo homer to left. It was Pillar's third home run of the season and the fourth allowed by Scherzer. A runner has been on base for the Nats in each of the first two innings, but nothing has...

Zimmermann blanks Blue Jays in Nats' 2-0 win

Zimmermann blanks Blue Jays in Nats' 2-0 win
Jordan Zimmermann has pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just four hits with three strikeouts. Blue Jays starter R.A. Dickey matched Zimmermann for a while, blanking the Nationals until Zimmermann helped his own cause to start the fifth. On a full count, Zimmermann knocked an 82-mph fastball from Dickey up the middle for a leadoff single. After Yunel Escobar walked, Ian Desmond dropped a sacrifice bunt down to safely move both runners into scoring position for Bryce Harper. Harper drove a...

Denard Span out tonight with sore knee (with lineups)

Denard Span out tonight with sore knee (with lineups)
The Nationals will be without center fielder Denard Span for tonight's game. The 31-year-old is dealing with a sore right knee resulting from an awkward fielding play in Chicago early last week. Span left yesterday's 8-2 loss in the eighth inning. Rookie Michael A. Taylor replaces Span in center field while Yunel Escobar returns to the leadoff spot in the order. The Blue Jays are 5-15 in their last 20 road games entering this three-game interleague set in the nation's capital. However, third...

Marty Niland: Old-school approach could have served Nats well

Marty Niland: Old-school approach could have served Nats well
With two outs and a man on first in the bottom of the seventh inning on Friday came the pitch felt round the Natosphere. Reds reliever Tony Cingrani drilled Nationals slugger Bryce Harper in the back - right between the numbers - with a 94 mph fastball. No matter whether it was intentional, Harper was not happy, and neither were fans posting on Nats message boards. They demanded payback. The most obvious target was Reds first baseman Joey Votto, who exchanged words with the bruised Harper after...

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...

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...