Instant analysis: Nats 10, Cardinals 0

Associated Press photo

Gio Gonzalez and the Nationals were all smiles during this rout.

Game in a nutshell: It's not supposed to be this easy, right? Especially against the defending World Series champs, who had been playing as well as anybody in baseball until this week. Well, the Nationals have taken the Cardinals to the woodshed two nights in a row now, following up Thursday's 8-1 thumping with tonight's rout. This one was all the more impressive because much of the damage came against former 20-game winner Adam Wainwright, who was knocked out after giving up six runs in only 2 2/3 innings. The Nationals worked the count against the right-hander, forcing him to throw a whopping 86 pitches, and got contributions from just about everyone in their lineup. That freed up Gio Gonzalez to go right after St. Louis' hitters, which the lefty did. Gonzalez didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning and he carried a shutout into the ninth, given a standing ovation as he took the mound in search of the complete game. He pulled it off, earning his first career shutout, energizing the crowd of 29,499 and sending the Nationals to their 80th win of the season (matching last year's total) and only one shy of the club record set in 2005.

Hitting highlight: It seems like we're highlighting Jayson Werth here on an almost-nightly basis, but it's impossible to ignore what the guy is doing right now. He racked up three more hits and two more walks

Lannan, Perez, Leon coming up

With the calendar about to shift to September, the Nationals have plans to expand their roster in time for Saturday's game against the Cardinals.

Manager Davey Johnson said the club will recall left-hander John Lannan, catcher Sandy Leon and outfielder Eury Perez from Class AAA Syracuse. Veteran utilityman Mark DeRosa also will be activated off the disabled list after missing the last month with an abdominal strain.

The Nationals plan more reinforcements next week, after Syracuse's season ends on Monday. Johnson hinted that outfielder Corey Brown and reliever Christian Garcia will join the big-league roster at that point.

Of the September call-ups, Lannan figures to have the greatest impact. The left-hander was kept at Class AAA the entire season (aside from two spot starts during doubleheaders) specifically to take over the rotation spot that will become vacant when Stephen Strasburg is shut down.
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Rodriguez has surgery for bone spur

Henry Rodriguez has made two stints on the disabled list this season for injuries the Nationals said were to his index finger and his lower back. Turns out the biggest issue with the erratic reliever was a bone spur in his right elbow that required surgery today.

Rodriguez was operated on by team orthopedist Wiemi Douoguih; he may not be able to pitch in winter ball but is expected to be fully healed for the start of spring training.

General manager Mike Rizzo said Rodriguez only began complaining about discomfort in his elbow in roughly mid-July, but it's not certain how long he was pitching with the injury, or what effect it had on his performance. After failing to surrender an earned run in any of his first nine appearances this season, Rodriguez posted an 8.14 ERA over his final 26 games.

"I'm not sure [what the effect was], but Henry has got great upside," Rizzo said. "He's a power pitcher, and if this injury prevented him from

Game 131: Cardinals at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Gio Gonzalez again seeks his 17th win tonight at Nationals Park.

A couple of significant accomplishments could take place tonight ... if the Nationals can beat the Cardinals. On an individual level, Gio Gonzalez could earn his 17th win of the season, matching Cincinnati's Johnny Cueto for the MLB lead.

On a team level, the Nationals could notch win No. 80 tonight. That would match last year's total, fall just one shy of the club record (set in the inaugural 2005 season) and just two shy of the first winning record by a D.C. ballclub since 1969.

But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves and look past tonight's game, which features a star-studded pitching matchup between Gonzalez and Adam Wainwright. Davey Johnson goes with his regular lineup, the only change from last night behind the plate (Kurt Suzuki starts).

Plenty of updates to come, so please check back...

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 183
Weather: Clear, 90 degrees, Wind 8 mph out to RF

NATIONALS (79-51)
RF Jayson Werth
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche

Beltway Baseball - 8/31/12

Was the Nationals' recent losing streak cause for concern or just a small bump in the road? Is Bryce Harper finally learning how to control his emotions on the field? Has Drew Storen made an important leap back to peak form just in time for the stretch run?

Chase Hughes of CSNwashington.com and Amanda Comak of the Washington Times joined me to discuss all those issues and more on our latest edition of Beltway Baseball. And as always, we answered your questions on the Nationals.

Enjoy the show!

Jackson's gem kicks off homestand

Associated Press photo

Edwin Jackson didn't allow an earned run over eight dominant innings.

As the rest of the sporting world worries about Stephen Strasburg's impending shutdown and the supposedly crushing effect it will have on the Nationals' championship aspirations, other members of the majors' best rotation simply take the mound and do their part to carry this team to new heights.

The national discussion about the Nationals' rotation has been focused on Strasburg, with perhaps a little bit of love sprinkled in for Jordan Zimmermann and Gio Gonzalez. All the while, Edwin Jackson has quietly gone about his business, churning out innings and getting stronger and more effective as the regular season reaches its final month.

"People keep talking about Stras. You know, Edwin Jackson is a heck of a pitcher," Jayson Werth said following Thursday night's 8-1 triumph over the Cardinals. "He's a big-game pitcher. He won big games last year, late in the year, in the postseason. Take Stras out and put Edwin in. I like it."

What's not to like? With eight dominant innings Thursday night against the NL's most productive lineup, Jackson continued his late-August surge and carried the Nationals to a rousing victory in the opener of an 11-game homestand.
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Instant analysis: Nats 8, Cardinals 1

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Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth each homered to lead the Nationals' attack.

Game in a nutshell: Having exorcised their demons after a five-game losing streak, the Nationals came home a relaxed and loose bunch, ready to open a season-long, 11-game homestand. Then they went out and thumped the defending World Series champions with an impressive top-to-bottom effort. Jayson Werth and Bryce Harper each homered to ignite the lineup, and Edwin Jackson took care of everything else after that. The right-hander did not allow an earned run over eight spectacular innings, striking out 10 and earning his eighth win in the process. With that lopsided victory, the Nationals improved to 28 games over .500. And with the Braves off, they extended their lead in the NL East to 5 1/2 games.

Hitting highlight: When they're both going well, Werth and Harper give the Nationals as potent a 1-2 punch atop their lineup as perhaps

Storen happy to thrive in setup role

US Presswire photo

Drew Storen and Kurt Suzuki confer during the eighth inning on Wednesday.

Drew Storen has pitched in plenty of pressure situations during his three major-league seasons, most of them coming in the ninth inning with his team clinging to a slim lead.

Something about Wednesday night's appearance, though, felt more significant than perhaps any of the 146 previous ones Storen made for the Nationals. Even though it occurred in the eighth inning.

Summoned by manager Davey Johnson to face the heart of the Marlins' lineup with two runners in scoring position and the Nationals leading 6-4, Storen proceeded to retire all three batters he faced and hold that lead heading into the ninth.

Was that an especially big outing for the 25-year-old reliever?
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Game 130: Cardinals at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

The Nats open an 11-game homestand tonight against the Cardinals.

Amazing what a difference the outcome of one game can make. Had the Nationals lost last night in Miami, they'd return home today at tense bunch, their collars feeling a little bit tighter than usual thanks to a six-game losing streak. Instead, by beating the Marlins 8-4, they're a loose, upbeat group right now, having just joked around while taking the official 2012 team photo (you can sort of make it out above).

So begins an 11-game homestand, the longest of the season, with the defending World Series champion Cardinals in town the next four days. St. Louis will be up against a familiar foe tonight in Edwin Jackson (a member of that World Series club).

Left-hander Jaime Garcia gets the nod for the Cards, facing a Nats lineup that broke out of its slump in a big way last night. Plenty of updates to come, so please check back...

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv, MLB Network (outside D.C. market)
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM Internet 869
Weather: Mostly clear, 84 degrees, Wind 5 mph out to LF

NATIONALS (78-51)
RF Jayson Werth
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

Submit questions for Beltway Baseball

They snapped a five-game losing streak last night in Miami, thanks to Bryce Harper's two home runs, Ross Detwiler's strong start and Drew Storen's impressive escape act in the bottom of the eighth. Now the Nationals return to South Capitol Street for an 11-game homestand, beginning tonight against the contending Cardinals.

CSNwashington.com's Chase Hughes, the Washington Times' Amanda Comak and I will have plenty to discuss when we tape our latest episode of Beltway Baseball. But we also need your questions for consideration. Submit them here in the comments section and we'll pick the best ones to answer on the show (the final version of which will be posted tomorrow morning).

Harper heating up again

US Presswire photo

Bryce Harper rounds the bases after hitting one of his two homers last night.

You know that prolonged slump Bryce Harper has been in for months now, the one that turned his much-ballyhooed rookie season into nothing more than a pedestrian campaign?

This just in: The kid is heating up again, and last night's two-homer performance during the Nationals' 8-4 victory in Miami was only the latest example.

Yep, over his last 11 games, Harper is hitting .293, slugging .610 and posting a .920 OPS that has suddenly turned him into a formidable threat at the plate again.

Sure, there have been some less-than-spectacular performances during that span. His golden sombrero last week against the Braves was

Game 129: Nats at Marlins

US Presswire file photo

The Nationals need to win tonight at Marlins Park to avoid a six-game losing streak.

Another day, another attempt by the Nationals to end their losing streak. They've dropped five in a row now, last night's 9-0 trouncing at the hands of the Marlins easily the worst of the bunch.

No changes to Davey Johnson's lineup. He'll stick with the exact same starting eight that couldn't score a run off Ricky Nolasco last night, hoping these guys have more success against 21-year-old right-hander Jacob Turner (making his eighth career start).

Turner hails from St. Louis, as does the Nationals' starter tonight: Ross Detwiler. The 26-year-old left-hander was on the mound when this losing streak began Thursday night against the Braves, so it would perhaps be fitting if he was the guy to put and end to the streak.

As you know, I'm not in Miami. Please enjoy the conversation as always, and I'll be back at the park tomorrow night for the start of the Nats' 11-game homestand...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at MIAMI MARLINS
Where: Marlins Park
Gametime: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 187
Weather: Indoors

NATIONALS (77-51)
RF Jayson Werth
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche

Bad time for a clunker

When he struck out 10 Braves over six brilliant innings last week, everyone wondered if the Nationals really would shut down Stephen Strasburg in the middle of a pennant race.

And when he was tagged for seven runs over five suspect innings last night, everyone suddenly wondered if the Nationals might just shut down their young ace on the spot.

The man who ultimately will make this decision, thankfully, isn't quite as impulsive as fans, media members and the various experts out there ranging from John Smoltz to Terry Bradshaw who all believe they know what's best for Strasburg.

Mike Rizzo wasn't going to prolong Strasburg's season based on one dominant start, and he's not going to cut it short based on one lousy

Game 128: Nats at Marlins

US Presswire file photo

Stephen Strasburg tries to snap the Nats' losing streak tonight at Marlins Park.

The Nationals have done a remarkable job all season overcoming injuries to key players, but let's be honest: They really missed Michael Morse and Ian Desmond while getting swept in Philadelphia over the weekend. The return of both players to the lineup for tonight's two-game series opener in Miami can only be viewed as a positive thing.

Morse (bruised hand) and Desmond (mild hamstring strain) will be hitting fifth and sixth, respectively, in manager Davey Johnson's lineup. That bumps Jayson Werth and his .391 on-base percentage back up to the leadoff spot, giving the Nationals as potent a lineup as they're going to field at this point in the season.

They've also got the man they want on the mound when they're trying to snap a losing streak: Stephen Strasburg. Not only is the right-hander 3-0 without giving up a run against the Marlins this season, he's also 4-0 with a 1.44 ERA when starting with the Nationals on a losing streak of three games or more.

I'm not in Miami for this series, the last road trip I'm scheduled to miss for the remainder of the season. I will, however, be appearing live on CSN's SportsNet Central at 10 p.m. with analysis of tonight's game, so be sure to tune in for that. In the meantime, enjoy the game and the conversation here...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at MIAMI MARLINS
Where: Marlins Park
Gametime: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 187
Weather: Indoors

NATIONALS (77-50)
RF Jayson Werth
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche

Must-win game tonight?

There really are no such thing as "must-win" games in baseball, at least not until a team is one loss from elimination. So a late-August date in Miami probably shouldn't be viewed as do-or-die for the Nationals.

Having said that, the Nationals face as close to a must-win situation tonight as you're likely to find in this sport. Losers of four straight, they head to rainy South Florida for a two-game series with the last-place Marlins desperately needing to get back on track before this slump really turns into something of consequence.

The Nationals' cause was helped somewhat by the Braves, who late last night were shut out 3-0 in the opener of their three-game series in San Diego. Thus, Washington's lead in the NL East is back to five games after it slipped to 4 1/2 over the weekend.

Still, the Nationals can't just count on maintaining a comfortable lead via losses by their lone remaining challenger for the division crown. They're going to need to win their share of games as well, and what

Heated words, but no rift

Read as much (or as little) as you want into Davey Johnson's animated discussion with Mike Rizzo following yesterday's 4-1 loss in Philadelphia, but know this: There's no rift between the Nationals manager and general manager, not even close to one.

What happened? About five minutes after the game at Citizens Bank Park ended, the clubhouse was opened to reporters, and we made our way toward Johnson's office for his usual postgame session.

Before entering the room, though, we heard Johnson loudly exclaim to someone: "Why don't you come down here and manage this team!" At which point Nationals PR director John Dever asked all of us to head back outside the clubhouse.

About 10 minutes later, we were allowed back in, at which point

Caught napping

Associated Press photo

Adam LaRoche is tagged out by Jimmy Rollins after mistakenly thinking he homered.

PHILADELPHIA -- For nearly five months, they've cruised along with no real hint of adversity, ascending to their sport's best record and putting themselves in position to reach the playoffs and win their division for the first time.

The Nationals, though, haven't actually accomplished any of that yet, lest anyone forget. There are still 35 games to be played, and nothing has been assured other than the fact they're in a better position than any other club to accomplish their goal.

If they needed a reminder of that, perhaps this weekend's series did the trick. Facing a Phillies club that has little left to play for except for pride, the Nationals came out flat and got swept, dropping Sunday's series finale 4-1 to extend their losing streak to four games.

Time to panic? Well, no. This team still boasts baseball's best record at 77-50 and still holds either a 4 1/2- or 5 1/2-game lead over the Braves (pending the outcome of Atlanta's late contest in San Francisco).
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Instant analysis: Phillies 4, Nats 1

US Presswire photo

Jordan Zimmermann watches Jimmy Rollins round the bases on a fifth-inning homer.

Game in a nutshell: Needing to come up big to avoid only their fourth series sweep of the season, the Nationals instead dropped their fourth straight game, this one in unusual fashion. Jordan Zimmermann, who has cruised all afternoon, gave up three runs in the fifth on a double by pitcher Cliff Lee and a subsequent homer by Jimmy Rollins. Laynce Nix then homered off Tom Gorzelanny in the sixth. The Nationals tried to mount a rally, but Adam LaRoche's apparent two-run homer in the seventh was correctly ruled a double, leading to a bizarre play in which LaRoche was tagged out. The lineup then went silent against the Phillies bullpen, resulting in a stunning series sweep at Citizens Bank Park. The Nationals' lead in the NL East (which stood at 7 on Wednesday) is now down to 5 with the Braves still playing tonight in San Francisco.

Hitting lowlight: Stifled all afternoon by Lee, the Nationals finally appeared to deliver a big blow against the veteran left-hander when

Morse, Desmond aiming for Tuesday

PHILADELPHIA -- Michael Morse and Ian Desmond each are out of the Nationals' lineup for the third straight day, but each remains hopeful of returning to play Tuesday in Miami.

Morse, who suffered a bruised right hand Friday night when he was hit by a pitch, attempted to play catch this morning at Citizens Bank Park but still was in some pain. One of his biggest concerns was an inability to snap his wrist as he let go of the ball, which led to some awkward-looking throws with head trainer Lee Kuntz.

"I was trying," he said. "But it doesn't work if you don't snap."

Morse has yet to try to swing a bat, but he hopes the pain continues to subside over the next 48 hours and he still believes he can return Tuesday when the Nationals open a two-game series against the

Game 127: Nats at Phillies

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

The Nationals try to avoid a sweep today at Citizens Bank Park.

PHILADELPHIA -- Good morning from the City of Brotherly Love, where the Nationals today need a victory to avoid a series sweep at the hands of the Phillies. They talked last night about their ability to avoid long losing streaks all season, citing the depth of their rotation as a major reason why they don't worry about falling into a prolonged funk.

So the pressure's on Jordan Zimmermann today to come up big as he has so many times already this season. The right-hander is coming off perhaps his worst start of the year (lasting only five innings against the Braves) so perhaps he'll have a little extra incentive when he takes the mound this afternoon.

Cliff Lee, always a challenge, starts for the Phillies, and he'll once again be facing a lineup without Michael Morse or Ian Desmond. Morse tested out his bruised right hand this morning, playing some light catch for the first time since getting hit by a pitch Friday night. He looked awfully tentative doing it. Desmond continues to rest a mild hamstring strain.

Lots of updates to come live from the ballpark, so please check back...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Where: Citizens Bank Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, Ch. 50, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 189
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 81 degrees, Wind 9 mph out to LF

NATIONALS (77-49)
SS Danny Espinosa
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Jayson Werth

No panic after 3 straight losses

Associated Press photo

Gio Gonzalez reacts to serving up John Mayberry's go-ahead homer in the sixth.

PHILADELPHIA -- It may be difficult to remember these things, but the Nationals actually have endured through several losing streaks this season. Indeed, they've experienced five streaks of at least three losses in 2012, and even once lost five straight games.

And how did they respond to each mini-slump? By winning four in a row, three in a row, nine of 11, three of four and six in a row.

Suffice it to say, nobody inside the Nationals' clubhouse following Saturday night's 4-2 loss to the Phillies -- their third straight -- was ready to jump off the Ben Franklin Bridge.

"Three! Ugh, we're ready to quit," Ryan Zimmerman said with tongue firmly planted in cheek. "Everything's going to go into shambles."
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Instant analysis: Phillies 4, Nats 2

US Presswire photo

Kurt Suzuki slides in safely ahead of Erik Kratz's tag in the fifth inning.

Game in a nutshell: Who says Roy Halladay isn't still Roy Halladay? He sure looked like his old, Cy Young self tonight, cruising through the Nationals lineup with ease. His only blip: a two-run single surrendered to Steve Lombardozzi in the fifth, with Kurt Suzuki pulling off a nifty slide around catcher Erik Kratz to score the second run. Otherwise, Halladay was brilliant, out-dueling Gio Gonzalez, who gave up two runs in the first and then gave up the go-ahead run on John Mayberry Jr.'s leadoff homer in the sixth. Now trailing by a run, the Nationals couldn't muster anymore offense against Halladay or the Phillies bullpen, then gave up a costly insurance run in the eighth when Chase Utley was hit by a pitch, stole second and third bases and scored on Mayberry's sacrifice fly. Thus the Nationals lost their second straight 4-2 game in this ballpark and their third game in a row overall, seeing their lead over the Braves slip to 5 1/2 games in the process.

Hitting lowlight: They didn't have very many chances against Halladay, so the Nationals might have figured they'd have a better

Morse likely out for weekend

PHILADELPHIA -- His right hand still red and swollen, Michael Morse was not surprisingly out of the starting lineup for tonight's game against the Phillies, but the Nationals left fielder remains hopeful he'll be back within a matter of days.

Morse took a pitch off the outside of his hand during the first inning of Friday night's game and immediately dropped to a knee in obvious pain. Nationals officials and teammates were worried the pitch broke a bone, but X-rays came back negative and Morse was diagnosed only with a bad bruise.

Though it was an encouraging diagnosis, Morse is still dealing with pain and as of this afternoon had yet to attempt to grip a bat or ball.

"Gripping is tough," he said. "It's a little weak. I'm still trying to get my pinky to move a little more."

Morse described the overall feeling in his hand as "just sore" and "kind of weak." He planned to attempt to start testing it out while the rest of the Nationals are playing the Phillies tonight at Citizens Bank Park.
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Game 126: Nats at Phillies

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Gio Gonzalez faces Roy Halladay tonight at Citizens Bank Park.

PHILADELPHIA -- Don't look now, but the Nationals have lost two straight and four of their last five against the Phillies. OK, so that may not mean as much in the grand scheme of things as it used to, but it bears repeating that the five-time NL East champs are no pushovers despite their current sub-.500 record.

The Nationals will try to get back on track tonight with Gio Gonzalez on the mound, seeking his league-leading 17th victory. He'll be opposed by Roy Halladay, who has owned the Nats franchise over his career (11-2, 2.55 ERA in 17 career meetings) but lost their only encounter this season when he was tagged for five runs on nine hits.

No lineup posted yet for the Nationals, but they're not expected to have either Michael Morse (bruised hand) or Ian Desmond (mild hamstring strain) in there tonight. We should have an update on both players' status later this afternoon.

Updates to come...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Where: Citizens Bank Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 89
Weather: Chance of showers, 76 degrees, Wind 10 mph RF to LF

NATIONALS (77-48)
2B Steve Lombardozzi
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche

Stunned, but still standing

Associated Press photo

The Nationals lost Michael Morse from their lineup in the top of the first.

PHILADELPHIA -- They absorbed a right jab, learning about 30 minutes before game time that Ian Desmond had been scratched with a mild hamstring strain. Then they took a left hook to the jaw ... er, actually the right hand when Michael Morse was struck by a Kyle Kendrick pitch in the top of the first and walked off the field in obvious pain.

By night's end, the outcome of the Nationals' series opener in Philadelphia -- a fairly nondescript, 4-2 loss -- seemed less important than the status of their two injured regulars, two key players who have already spent considerable time on the disabled list this season.

"It was definitely a blow for us, but it's kind of what we've been dealing with all year: Guys stepping up in different situations," rookie Tyler Moore said. "Just another day. We're hoping Mikey's hand is fine [and that] Desi's fine. We'll see tomorrow."

It doesn't appear the Nationals will have either Morse or Desmond back in the lineup for Saturday night's game at Citizens Bank Park, and manager Davey Johnson said Desmond probably will get the entire weekend off. But this club still was breathing a sigh of relief that neither injury is considered serious and both players should return in short order.
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X-rays on Morse's hand negative

Associated Press photo

Michael Morse left tonight's game after getting hit in the right hand.

Updated at 11:26 p.m.

PHILADELPHIA -- The Nationals were breathing a sigh of relief following tonight's series finale against the Phillies after X-rays taken of Michael Morse's right hand came back negative, and the cleanup hitter was diagnosed with only a bad bruise after getting hit by a pitch in the first inning.

Morse was in serious pain after taking Kyle Kendrick's changeup off the outside of his right hand, dropping to a knee and grimacing as trainer Mike McGowan took off his batting glove and examined him.

"Any time you get hit in the hands, it's kind of nerve-wracking," he said. "But, you know, X-rays came out negative and stuff, so I should be all right."

Though they were relieved to know their No. 4 hitter isn't seriously injured, the Nationals don't expect Morse back in the lineup for at least a day or two. He hadn't tried to grip a bat yet shortly after the game

Instant analysis: Phillies 4, Nats 2

Associated Press photo

Edwin Jackson allowed three runs over six innings.

Game in a nutshell: The Phillies don't have much left to play for except pride, but they showed plenty of that in the opener of this three-game series before a crowd of 42,096 that barely made a peep all night. Veterans Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins drove in three early runs off Edwin Jackson, putting the Nationals in a 3-0 hole. They couldn't make a dent into Kyle Kendrick for most of the evening until Tyler Moore came off the bench in the seventh to drill a two-run homer and knock the right-hander from the game. The Nationals had chances to push across the tying run against a smorgasbord of Philadelphia relievers but couldn't deliver the big hit when they needed it. Perhaps it would have been a different story had they not lost cleanup hitter Michael Morse to a right hand injury (he was struck by a Kendrick fastball in the top of the first) that looked serious but was initially diagnosed as only a contusion.

Hitting lowlight: Remember when Adam LaRoche couldn't be

Nats lock up Tracy for 2013

US Presswire photo

Chad Tracy is hitting .320 with 10 RBI as a pinch-hitter.

PHILADELPHIA -- Chad Tracy might not have made the Nationals' Opening Day roster if not for an injury suffered by Rick Ankiel late in spring training. Little did the veteran bench player or the club know how indispensable he would become.

How indispensable? Enough to convince the Nationals to sign Tracy to a contract extension for next season right now. The two sides hashed out details over the last week and agreed to a deal before tonight's series opener against the Phillies.

"You're on a first-place team, 30 games over .500, and they're offering you an extension," Tracy said. "There's really not a whole lot better than that."

Terms of the contract aren't immediately known, but the 32-year-old is expected to receive a modest raise over his $750,000 salary for 2012.
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Game 125: Nats at Phillies

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Citizens Bank Park hosts the Nationals for a three-game weekend series.

PHILADELPHIA -- Hello from the City of Brotherly Love, which hasn't quite been the happiest place on earth this baseball season. Things have picked up somewhat for the Phillies, though: They've gone 21-17 since the All-Star break and have stormed their way into third place in the NL East. (Of course, the Nationals have gone 28-13 over the same span.)

This is probably the first time the Nationals have ever played here with more on the line than the home club. It's kind of a strange position, you have to admit. As you can tell by their lineup, the Phillies are still dealing with injuries and some other glaring holes. Don't take these guys too lightly, though: You've got to believe they're motivated to prevent the Nats from running away with this division.

Edwin Jackson gets the ball for the Nationals, coming off an 11-strikeout performance against the Mets that nonetheless resulted in a loss due to a lack of run support. He'll hope his teammates do a little more damage at the plate tonight against Kyle Kendrick.

Live updates and analysis from Citizens Bank Park to come, so please check back...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Where: Citizens Bank Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 183
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 81 degrees, Wind 5 mph RF to LF

NATIONALS (77-47)
RF Jayson Werth 2B Steve Lombardozzi
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

Who's eligible for the postseason roster?

US Presswire photo

Even if he's not in the big leagues Aug. 31, Eury Perez could appear in the playoffs.

This season has brought about many new ideas and emotions for the Nationals, who for the first time since they arrived in Washington are legitimately in a pennant race. And as a result of that, here's another new concept we're going to have to consider: the August 31 playoff roster deadline.

You've probably been vaguely aware of this deadline in the past but never really had to consider the ins and outs of it. Rest assured, you're not alone. I've had to learn more about all this myself, and even the Nationals front-office folks I talked to the last couple days admitted they had to take something of a crash course on the subject because they've never needed to be experts before.

So consider this an entry-level class in the suddenly pertinent matter of playoff roster construction...

You've probably heard plenty of times before that all postseason rosters must be set by August 31. But that's not entirely true. The only thing that must be set by the end of the month is the pool of players who are eligible to appear in the postseason. And even then, there are

Does Harper deserve everyday job?

Photo by Bob Youngentob / CSNwashington.com

Bryce Harper went 2-for-13 with six strikeouts in three games against Atlanta.

Though he's not producing nearly as much as he did during the first two months of his big-league career, Bryce Harper is making positive contributions to the team with the best record in baseball. Just look at his 4-for-8, 2-homer weekend against the Mets.

But Harper's offensive production has turned painfully inconsistent. Just look at his last three nights against the Braves (2-for-13, six strikeouts).

Look, any 19-year-old (no matter how talented and brash) is going to struggle at times in the major leagues. And Harper continues to do things few teenagers have ever done in this game before. But make no mistake, he is struggling right now, and he might just be hurting the Nationals more than he's helping them.

Owner of a .210 batting average and .279 on-base percentage over his last 59 games, Harper is putting up numbers worse than anyone on the Nationals roster who isn't a catcher or pitcher. And it's not just the

Zim on playoffs, Strasburg, Gold Glove

Appearing last night on CSN's SportsNet Central, Ryan Zimmerman talked about the possibility of the Nationals making their first postseason appearance, the clubhouse's support of Stephen Strasburg's shutdown and the possibility of winning his second Gold Glove Award this fall.

(He also was gentlemanly enough to hold Kelli Johnson's umbrella during the interview as rain began to fall at Nationals Park.)

No sweep, no worries

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Ryan Zimmerman can't corral Kurt Suzuki's wild throw in the ninth inning.

For a split-second at the end of the eighth inning Wednesday night, as Ian Desmond awkwardly pulled up lame at first base, the fact the Nationals had just squandered another golden scoring opportunity seemed insignificant.

"Being out wasn't real important in that moment," said Desmond, who grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to quash a potential rally.

"I forgot about the game when I saw him," manager Davey Johnson said. "I thought for sure he pulled a hammy."

Once Desmond realized he hadn't actually injured himself -- he thinks he just hyperextended his knee -- he could return to kicking himself over making two outs on one swing of the bat in a crucial moment of what was at that point a one-run game.
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Instant analysis: Braves 5, Nats 1

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Ross Detwiler dominated early but faded in the fifth and sixth innings.

Game in a nutshell: With a chance to pull off a rousing series sweep and extend their lead over the Braves to a commanding eight games, the Nationals were silenced by the unheralded Kris Medlen. The right-hander, who has pitched brilliantly since moving into the rotation, tossed seven scoreless innings, out-dueling Ross Detwiler, who faded quickly after a strong start to his evening. Ultimately, a lack of clutch hitting and some very shaky defense -- Bryce Harper took a bad route on a two-run double, and Ryan Zimmerman and Kurt Suzuki each committed errors during an ugly top of the ninth -- did in the Nationals. They didn't sweep the series, but they still took two of three and still hold a six-game advantage on the only team still challenging them in the NL East.

Hitting lowlight: How bad is Harper struggling at the plate? Really bad. After wearing a Golden Sombrero Tuesday night, he looked silly again in his first three plate appearances tonight. How you can tell

Strasburg likely has 4 or 5 more starts

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Stephen Strasburg threw six innings last night to raise his total to 145 1/3.

Though the Nationals have no set date for Stephen Strasburg's shutdown, manager Davey Johnson did offer up the most-concrete clue yet today, suggesting the club will need another pitcher to make two or three starts in Strasburg's place come late-September.

"I talked a little bit about it with [general manager Mike Rizzo," Johnson said prior to the Nationals' series finale against the Braves. "We kind of worked it out, and I think it came out with off-days we would need another starter for, I think, two starts. I think it was two starts, maybe three. I thought it was two."

What exactly does that mean? It seems to suggest Strasburg will make either four or five more starts this season. He's slated to pitch Tuesday in Miami, then lines up to start Sept. 2 against the Cardinals, Sept. 7 against the Marlins and Sept. 12 in New York.

It would then be a question of whether the Nationals will let the right-hander make one final start at home, likely Sept. 19 against the Dodgers.
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Game 124: Braves at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

The Nats go for a three-game sweep and an 8-game lead in the NL East.

If you go back only 2 1/2 months, back to June 3, and look at the NL East standings, you a total of 3 1/2 games separating the first-place Nationals and the last-place Phillies. At that moment, there was every reason to expect this race would be a dogfight straight through September, with no one club capable of running away with it.

Well, take a look at the standings entering tonight. The Mets, Phillies and Marlins all are at least 20 games out. The Braves are seven games back, desperately needing a win in tonight's series finale to avoid falling into an eight-game hole. Pretty remarkable.

Ross Detwiler gets the ball for the Nationals. Kris Medlen starts for the Braves. Chipper Jones makes his final appearance in D.C. (unless these two teams meet again in the postseason) and the Nats will honor the retiring third baseman in a pregame ceremony beginning at 6:40 p.m.

Updates to come...

ATLANTA BRAVES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 183
Weather: Scattered storms, 83 degrees, Wind 4 mph RF to LF

NATIONALS (77-46)
RF Jayson Werth
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

VIDEO: Detwiler in October?

Mark appeared live on Geico SportsNet Central yesterday to talk Stephen Strasburg and whether Ross Detwiler can hold his weight if he replaces him for the playoffs.

Evolution of a closer

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Tyler Clippard recorded his 28th save last night.

It was May 22 when Davey Johnson handed Tyler Clippard the ball for the bottom of the ninth inning of what became a 5-2 Nationals victory in Philadelphia, thus designating the right-hander his team's closer for the foreseeable future.

Exactly three months later, it's hard to dispute Johnson's decision. When Clippard finished off the Braves last night at Nationals Park, he secured his 28th save in 31 tries since getting the job.

Think about that: 28 saves in three months. That's one-half of the season. Over a full 162-game slate, he would finish with 56 saves. That would rank third all-time behind only Francisco Rodriguez (62 saves in 2008) and Bobby Thigpen (57 saves in 1990).

"I feel good," Clippard said with a shrug last night. "I don't really think it's any different than it had been in the past. I've been used a lot, and

Delayed dominance

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Stephen Strasburg improved to 15-5 with six innings of one-run ball.

As an out-of-nowhere cloudburst doused Nationals Park and a crowd of 33,388 during a 51-minute delay in the top of the third inning Tuesday night, Stephen Strasburg did whatever he could to stay loose and ready to retake the mound should the skies part and this showdown with the Braves resume.

On the advice of pitching coach Steve McCatty, Strasburg went to the batting tunnel below the Nationals' dugout and threw about 15 pitches. Then he retreated to the clubhouse for a break. Then he returned to the tunnel for another 15 throws. Then back to the clubhouse for another break before finally both teams were summoned to the field for the resumption of play.

"It's my first time really dealing with the rain delay or anything," he said. "Cat kind of coached me through it."

The way he responded to the interruption, perhaps Strasburg should try to incorporate that new routine into all of his starts. He actually got better as the night went on, tossing six dominant innings to lead the Nationals to a 4-1 victory and a 7-game lead over its lone remaining challenger for the NL East crown.
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Instant analysis: Nats 4, Braves 1

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Stephen Strasburg and Jesus Flores played key roles in the Nationals' win.

Game in a nutshell: Who says the Nationals can't handle the pressure of a pennant-race series against their lone remaining competitors in the NL East. After pulling off last night's dramatic, 13-inning win over the Braves, they did it in more convincing fashion this time. There was, of course, a 51-minute rain delay in the top of the third, but that didn't faze anyone, least of all Stephen Strasburg. Allowed to retake the mound, the right-hander wound up tossing six innings and striking out 10. His batterymate, Jesus Flores, supplied a three-run homer, with Ian Desmond launching a solo shot of his own. Drew Storen, Sean Burnett and Tyler Clippard then finished it off out of the bullpen, leaving a crowd of 33,888 rocking and celebrating the home team's seven-game lead over Atlanta heading into tomorrow's series finale.

Hitting highlight: It's been a tough season for Flores, who was put into a tough spot after Wilson Ramos tore his ACL and has struggled

Game 123: Braves at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Stephen Strasburg takes the mound tonight at Nationals Park.

And we're back at Nationals Park for game two of this pivotal series. Feels like we just left here following last night's 13-inning, rain-delayed marathon.

The good news is, the sun is mostly shining and there doesn't appear to be any serious threat of rain tonight. So that should remove one possibility for a long night, not to mention one deterrent for fans to come to the park.

Also, Stephen Strasburg is making what will almost certainly be one of his final starts of the season in the District, so there's that. (His innings count entering tonight is ... drumroll please ... 139 1/3! So we're probably talking about at least three more starts, probably no more than five.)

Left-hander Paul Maholm, one of the Braves' trade deadline acquisitions, gets the start for an Atlanta club that desperately needs to win tonight or else fall seven games back in the division.

Updates to come...

ATLANTA BRAVES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv, MLB Network
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 183
Weather: Partly cloudy, 78 degrees, Wind 3 mph in from RF

NATIONALS (76-46)
RF Jayson Werth
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

More thoughts from last night

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Chad Tracy and Jayson Werth were all smiles at night's end.

Some leftover thoughts from last night's remarkable ballgame, now that I've had a chance to get some rest and come back with a clear mind...

-- Everyone's been trying to figure out what Dan Uggla's thought process was on the final play of the game, and what he should have done differently. It was a big topic of discussion inside the Nationals' clubhouse as well.

Did the Braves second baseman have a shot at an inning-ending double play? And if so, was his best chance to tag Kurt Suzuki and then throw to first or throw to second base and have Paul Janish complete the standard 4-6-3 twin-killing? Or should he have simply given up on the idea and just thrown to the plate to get Danny Espinosa?

Here's what Espinosa (a second baseman himself, obviously) said when I asked him if he empathized with Uggla on a play like that: "Yeah, I do. Because when you're playing infield in like that and it's a hot shot and you maybe don't field it cleanly or whatever, then you're immediately thinking the ball got to you so quick you might have a chance for a

Marathon men

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Nationals fans celebrate as Danny Espinosa scores in the bottom of the 13th.

In a marathon ballgame that featured plenty of young players in Nationals uniforms experiencing pennant race baseball for the first time in their lives, who would have thought the winning run would wind up scoring because of a brain cramp by the Braves' three-time All-Star and seven-year veteran?

Maybe there truly is something special about the 2012 Nationals, who kept trying to find ways to lose Monday night's showdown with Atlanta yet managed to hang around long enough to watch Dan Uggla butcher Chad Tracy's sharp grounder in the bottom of the 13th, allowing Danny Espinosa to slide across the plate with the run that gave the home team a thrilling 5-4 victory in the most significant game in the club's brief history.

"We're very young," manager Davey Johnson said. "This is great. This is the learning curve. This is experience."

The opener of a three-game series that could see the Nationals all but bury the Braves in the division race -- or allow their lone remaining competitor to close the gap -- turned into an epic battle deep into the night.
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Instant analysis: Nats 5, Braves 4 (13)

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Jordan Zimmermann labored through a rare, sub-par start.

Game in a nutshell: The biggest series yet for the Nationals opened with a classic, tense game worthy of a pennant race. Despite jumping out to 4-1 lead after one inning, the Nationals couldn't get anything else going against Tim Hudson. Jordan Zimmermann, meanwhile, labored through five innings and let the Braves come back to tie the game. Then it turned into a battle of bullpens, with both teams having golden opportunities to push across the go-ahead run but neither able to pull it off. Into the night the game went, with only the hearty souls among the original crowd of 21,298 sticking around until the very end. And then finally, a crazy finish to reward them: Danny Espinosa went from first to third on Kurt Suzuki's infield single, then scored when Dan Uggla couldn't get the ball out of his glove on Chad Tracy's grounder to second. With that, the Nats pulled off a stunning, 5-4, win and took a six-game lead in the NL East.

Hitting highlight/lowlight: After getting shut down by Hudson for years, the Nationals have suddenly found the right-hander's number

Tommy John surgery possible for Giolito

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Lucas Giolito was shut down after one start in the Gulf Coast League last week.

Updated at 6:45 p.m.

Top Nationals draft pick Lucas Giolito has been shut down after making only one start as a professional and could need Tommy John surgery to repair a torn elbow ligament.

Giolito, the 16th overall pick in the June draft, reported "soreness" in his right elbow after a two-inning appearance Tuesday at the rookie Gulf Coast League in Viera, Fla., general manager Mike Rizzo said. The 18-year-old hurler was examined by team doctor Wiemi Douoguih and now will head home to Los Angeles to get a second opinion from orthopedist Lewis Yocum.

"We're in the process of scheduling that," Rizzo said. "And once we get a diagnosis from him, then we'll proceed with whatever we have to do."

Though a final course of action won't be decided until Giolito is examined, ligament replacement surgery is a distinct possibility. Yocum has performed that procedure on Stephen Strasburg, Jordan
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Game 122: Braves at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

The Nats open a big, three-game series against the Braves tonight.

One of several national baseball writers who is here tonight just asked me for the last time Washington played in a series as big as this one. My answer: 1945, the last time the Senators were in a pennant race (they finished 1 1/2 games behind the Tigers for the AL title).

Yes, it's been awhile since D.C. has hosted anything along these lines, with the first-place Nationals trying to hold off the second-place Braves over the next three nights and perhaps extend their five-game lead to even greater numbers.

We've got a great pitching matchup to kick this series off: Jordan Zimmermann starts for the Nats against Braves ace Tim Hudson. All the healthy regulars are in both teams' lineups. All that's left to do is play the games.

Check back here, of course, for updates and analysis throughout...

ATLANTA BRAVES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 183
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 75 degrees, Wind 3 mph in from LF

NATIONALS (75-46)
RF Jayson Werth
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Michael Morse

Nats-Braves series preview

Nats have chance to bury Braves

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Freddie Freeman and the Braves enter this series five games behind the Nats.

There was a point, for a couple of hours in between games of their July 21 day-night doubleheader, when it appeared the Nationals were on the verge of surrendering their lead in the NL East to the Braves. After taking the first two games of that four-game series, Atlanta had crept to within 1 1/2 games and appeared to have momentum on its side.

All the Nationals have done since is go 22-7. During that same span, the Braves have gone 18-10.

Which makes the dynamic for this week's showdown between the two clubs a bit different than perhaps everyone expected. Instead of coming back to D.C. with a chance to reach or even overtake the Nats, the Braves instead arrive here a full five games back and desperately

Beltway Baseball - 8/20/12

Why has the reaction to the Stephen Strasburg shutdown been different in Washington than it's been elsewhere in the country? Why has Jayson Werth been so effective as the Nationals' leadoff hitter? Which National League contenders should the Nats be most concerned about?

Chase Hughes and I tackled all those topics and answered your questions on the latest episode of Beltway Baseball. Enjoy the show!

Harper's continuing contribution

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Bryce Harper recorded his 12th homer and his sixth triple of the season.

There's no player inside the Nationals clubhouse who holds himself to a higher standard than Bryce Harper. That's what happens when you spend most of your 19 years under an intense spotlight and and do things to this point no ballplayer has ever done.

So it's not surprising Harper is kind of down on himself these days as he battles through the first prolonged slump of his life. Not only is he not leading his team in every offensive category, but he's actually being benched every once in a while by a manager who is simply trying to get the most out of the 25 players on his roster.

Stop, though, and consider how much Harper has already accomplished in less than four months in the big leagues. He's hit 12 homers (the latest coming Sunday during a 5-2 victory over the Mets). He's totaled 34 extra-base hits. He's scored 65 runs. He's stolen 13 bases.

Most importantly, he's been a significant contributor on a first-place club, and he's done it at the age of 19.
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