Nats Nightly

Washington Nationals' manager Dusty Baker said today's game would be a good test after a disappointing loss last night in Kansas City and his Nats came out and pounded the Royals in the series finale, winning 13-2 to take 2 of 3 in Kauffman Stadium. Stephen Strasburg put together a solid start, Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Daniel Murphy and Wilson Ramos had multi-hit games and the Nationals as a team connected for 16 hits total in a big win that left them 19-8 on the year.

The Washington Nationals handed a 6-4 lead to veteran closer Jonathan Papelbon, but he blew his second save of the season as the Kansas City Royals rallied to tie it at 6-6 in the ninth and a walk-off single by Lorenzo Cain won it. 7-6 final. The Nationals four-game winning streak was snapped with the loss and it set up a rubber match between the Nats and the defending World Series champs tomorrow afternoon in Kauffman Stadium at 2:15 PM EDT.

Gio Gonzalez threw a lot of pitches early, but hung around for 102 pitches total over six scoreless innings in Kauffman Stadium as the Washington Nationals took the series opener with the Kansas City Royals, 2-0. It was the fourth straight win for the Nationals, who improved to 18-7 on the year with the win. After Gonzalez was done, Sammy Solis, Shawn Kelley, Oliver Perez and Jonathan Papelbon combined for 3.0 scoreless frames, shutting the defending World Series champions out. 

Washington Nationals' right-hander Max Scherzer returned to form and the Nats' bats came to life in the sixth and seventh innings against St. Louis Cardinals' starter Carlos Martinez as the Nationals swept the three-game set in Busch Stadium with a 6-1 win. It was the first sweep in the Nationals' franchise history (2005-present) and the first sweep in overall franchise history since the Montreal Expos swept the Cards thirty years again in 1986. 30 years? And Bryce Harper was hitless in the series... Nationals now 17-7.

Daniel Murphy hit an RBI single and Jayson Werth hit a three-run blast in the first as the Washington Nationals jumped out to an early 4-0 lead over Jaime Garcia and the St. Louis Cardinals. Nats' starter Joe Ross gave up just one run in six innings of work in the 6-1 win as Washington won the first series in St. Louis since all the way back in 2007. One more with the Cards tomorrow with Max Scherzer on the mound in Busch Stadium.

Washington Nationals' right-hander Stephen Strasburg struck out nine batters in seven innings of work and the Nats beat the St. Louis Cardinals in Busch Stadium III for just the fourth time in the last 21 games in the Cardinals' home. Washington snapped a three-game losing streak with the win and improved to 15-7 on the year. Jonathan Papelbon earned save No. 8 of 2016. 5-4 final in St. Louis. Dusty Baker's boys got the job done in Missouri.

Gio Gonzalez and Jeremy Hellickson battled through five scoreless each, but the Philadelphia Phillies struck first with runs in the sixth and seventh innings in what ended up a 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals in Nationals Park. The Phillies took the series with wins in the first two games of the three-game set which wraps up tomorrow afternoon in a 4:05 PM EDT matchup. Gonzalez was sharp again, but not sharp enough. Will the Nats avoid the sweep?

Max Scherzer struggled in the first inning again, before going on to make a decent start, but the Washington Nationals rallied to tie it after falling behind early, only to eventually drop the series opener with the Philadelphia Phillies by a score of 4-3. Philly righty Vince Velazquez impressed again with mid-90s heat and a nice curve, and the Phillies' strategy of limiting the damage Bryce Harper could do paid off in the end. 

It was a 4-3 game in the Minnesota Twins' favor until Bryce Harper hit a game-tying pinch hit home run in the Washington Nationals' ninth. It took sixteen innings to decide this one, but the Nats eventually won it on Chris Heisey's walk-off home run. Un-real. Nationals now 14-4. Remember when Stephen Strasburg started this game? Dusty Baker and the boys earned tomorrow's day off. Three with the Philadelphia Phillies starting on Tuesday night in D.C.

Washington Nationals' starter Tanner Roark set a career high in Ks with 15 total on 121 pitches over seven scoreless frames as the Nats made it two straight over the Minnesota Twins with a 2-0 win this afternoon in the nation's capital. The Nats scored two early on Twins' starter Phil Hughes and held on for their 13th win in 17 games so far this season. One more with the Twins tomorrow afternoon in the nation's capital.

Washington's Nationals jumped out to an early lead with a four-run first and padded their lead in what ended up an 8-4 win over the Minnesota Twins in Nats Park. Gio Gonzalez was sharp on the mound and the Nationals knocked Twins' starter Kyle Gibson out early before holding on for the win, which left them 12-4 overall on the year and 6-1 in the nation's capital. And did you see Jose Lobaton's hustle triple?

Defending NL MVP Bryce Harper hit another home run off Tom Koehler in the first, but Washington Nationals' right-hander Max Scherzer was not sharp this afternoon and the Miami Marlins fought back with five runs in five innings against the Nats' starter in what ended up a 5-1 win. The Nationals and Marlins split their four-game set in South Florida and now the Nats head home to take on the Minnesota Twins this weekend.

Washington Nationals' starter Joe Ross left tonight's outing early with a blister on the middle finger of his right hand, but the Nats' bullpen picked him up and the offense did enough to get the Nationals their second straight win over the Marlins in Miami. 3-1 final. Ryan Zimmerman and Bryce Harper doubled in runs and Michael A. Taylor hit another dinger as the Nationals improved to 11-3 on the year. One more with Miami tomorrow at 1:05 PM with Max Scherzer on the mound.

It was scoreless through six in Miami tonight before the Washington Nationals went home run happy with four blast including a grand slam by Bryce Harper in a seven-run frame in what ended up a 7-0 win over the Marlins in Marlins Park. Stephen Strasburg tossed eight scoreless on 105 pitches in the win. Nationals now 10-3.

Miami Marlins' starter Jose Fernandez wasn't particularly sharp against the Washington Nationals, but he managed to strike out nine in six innings of work in what ended up being a 6-1 win in Marlins Park. Tanner Roark struggled for the second time this season against Miami and the Nats' bats couldn't generate much offense as they dropped the first game of their four-game set in South Florida. Nationals 9-3 after the loss, which was their second straight loss.

Bryce Harper's 10th inning home run put the Washington Nationals up, 2-1, but the Philadelphia Phillies rallied in the bottom of the inning and walked off on Nats' closer Jonathan Papelbon, avoiding the sweep in the series finale in Citizens Bank Park and snapping the Nationals' seven-game winning streak in the process. Cue Papelbon hate from the Nats fanbase? Nationals now 9-2 heading to Miami for the start of a four-game set with the Marlins.

Washington Nationals' hitters jumped all over Philadelphia Phillies' starter Jeremy Hellickson, scoring five runs in the top of the ffirst inning of what ended up a 9-1 win for the Nats, who improved to 8-1 overall on the year with their sixth straight win. Joe Ross tossed 7 2/3 scoreless. Michael A. Taylor and Bryce Harper homered as the Nats pounded the home team in Citizens Bank Park, improving to 8-1 on the year.

The Washington Nationals improved to 14-0 against the Atlanta Braves in D.C. since the start of the 2015 campaign as they swept the four-game set with their NL East rivals with a 6-2 win this afternoon in Nationals Park. Bryce Harper hit HR No.100 of his major league career in the third and it was a big one! Harper's Grand Slam provided all the offense the Nationals needed, but they added on a few runs for good measure. Stephen Strasburg was filthy and sick... what fun.

Tanner Roark got the start tonight when Stephen Strasburg was scratched due to an illness, and the Washington Nationals' right-hander came up big against the Atlanta Braves, tossing seven scoreless innings on 100 pitches in what ended up a 3-0 win. It was the Nats' 13th straight win over the Braves in the nation's capital and their fifth win in five games against Atlanta to start the season, leaving them 6-1 overall so far in 2016.

Gio Gonzalez returned from a long layoff to make a solid start in his 2016 debut and the Washington Nationals scored late to go ahead 2-0 on a two-out, two-run double by Bryce Harper in what ended up a 2-1 win over the Atlanta Braves, who dropped their 12th straight game in the nation's capital and their 15 of the last 16 in D.C.