Frustrating April ends with a thud

Associated Press

Davey Johnson was at a loss for words after this latest loss.

ATLANTA — The time-tested mantra of "It's still early" can be trotted out a little while longer, but its days are numbered. With the calendar about to shift to May, the Nationals have now played one-sixth of the 2013 season, and they haven't played much of it all that well.

Tuesday night's 8-1 drubbing at the hands of the Braves was the most recent, and perhaps ugliest, example. It concluded a frustrating April for the Nationals with a 13-14 record, and it left just about everyone at a loss for words.

"Do we have to talk about this one?" manager Davey Johnson joked as he opened his postgame media session.

Whether or not they felt like dissecting their third straight loss in public, the Nationals were perhaps preparing to discuss it in private, with Ian Desmond going around the clubhouse afterward telling teammates not to leave, a fairly obvious sign of an impending team meeting.
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Instant analysis: Braves 8, Nats 1

Associated Press

Bryce Harper tips Tim Hudson's fifth-inning drive over the fence.

Game in a nutshell: In a word: Ugly. Hoping to bounce back after a tough loss last night, the Nationals laid an egg to their chief NL East rivals, right from the start. Gio Gonzalez was rocked for five runs and lasted only four innings. Tim Hudson, meanwhile, cruised yet again against a Nationals franchise he has now beaten 16 times in his career (most of any opposing franchise). This one was extra special for the veteran right-hander, who recorded his 200th win in the process. He even connected for his third career homer, with an assist from Bryce Harper, who leaped at the wall to try to snag Hudson's fifth-inning drive but only wound up deflecting the ball over the fence. Losers of three straight, the Nationals fell back below the .500 mark (13-14) and now have dropped nine consecutive games to Atlanta, dating back to last season.

Hitting lowlight: Take your pick in this department, but let's point out the lowest of the lows on a night full of lows: The bottom of the seventh inning. Ian Desmond actually led off with a triple into the

Strasburg expected to make next start

USA Today Sports Images

Stephen Strasburg is scheduled to start Saturday against the Pirates.

Updated at 6:40 p.m.

ATLANTA — The Nationals don't believe Stephen Strasburg's forearm tightness is serious and expect the right-hander to make his next scheduled start this weekend in Pittsburgh.

General manager Mike Rizzo said Strasburg had "some irritation on his forearm" in the wake of last night's start against the Braves, but the right-hander is "healthy, happy and ready to pitch Saturday."

The Nationals believe the nerve irritation was a result of an electric stimulation procedure Strasburg underwent as part of his typical pregame routine. He was examined by the Braves team doctor, who reported no medical issues.

"He was given a clean bill of health," Rizzo said.

Manager Davey Johnson was less emphatic about Strasburg's readiness for Saturday's start against the Pirates, saying he wants to see the 24-year-old come out of tomorrow's regular bullpen
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Game 27: Nats at Braves

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Gio Gonzalez faces Tim Hudson tonight at Turner Field.

ATLANTA — No matter the status of Stephen Strasburg's right arm, the Nationals could really use a win tonight against the Braves, who have now beaten their NL East rivals eight consecutive times dating back to last season. So a quality start by Gio Gonzalez, not to mention some clutch hitting against Tim Hudson, would help the cause.

Gonzalez is coming off a stellar outing against the Reds, one in which he allowed only one hit over eight innings (Joey Votto's homer). The lefty's record against Atlanta isn't anything to get excited about: 2-3, 6.08 ERA in five starts over the last two seasons. Hudson, on the other hand, has owned the Nationals franchise over the years (15-5, 2.60 ERA in 27 starts) though they did beat the veteran right-hander twice last season. He's in search of his 200th career win.

Jayson Werth is not in the Nats' lineup after dealing with both a hamstring and ankle issue last night. Bryce Harper will slide over to his spot in right field, with Tyler Moore in left field. Wilson Ramos, meanwhile, is catching for the first time since going on the DL with a hamstring strain.

Updates to come, so please check back...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at ATLANTA BRAVES
Where: Turner Field
Gametime: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 185
Weather: Partly cloudy, 76 degrees, Wind 6 mph RF to LF

NATIONALS (13-13)
CF Denard Span
2B Danny Espinosa
RF Bryce Harper
1B Adam LaRoche

Around the NL East: Marlins keep falling

Photo by USA Today

By Steve Roney
CSNwashington.com

Atlanta has come back to Earth a bit, as they no longer hold the game's best record, ceding that title to the surprising Boston Red Sox (18-7). They do, however, still possess the only winning record in the division, as the Nationals (13-13), Phillies, and Mets all continue to hover at or just below .500. The Marlins, meanwhile, are nothing if not consistent; for the fourth straight week they check in with the worst record in the NL East (and all of baseball), and show no signs of ever bucking that trend.

Atlanta Braves (16-9): Since the last NL East roundup Atlanta has been up and down time of it, sweeping a doubleheader last Tuesday against the Rockies, then four straight losses which included a sweep at the hands of Detroit. They broke their losing streak last night against the Nationals, against whom they are now 4-0; fret not Nats fans, 15 games remain in the season series.

Early slugger Evan Gattis has regressed along with Atlanta's record, and is now batting .236. Freddie Freeman has given the lineup a boost since returning from the DL, and Justin Upton continues to leave the yard with frequency, his home run total now at 12 through 107 plate appearances. Still not a peep from the other two thirds of the outfield. Mike Minor has emerged as the rotation stalwart so far, with a 5.4 strikeout-to-walk ratio that leads the staff by double.

Player of the Week: Justin Upton, OF: 6 R, 3 HR, 6 RBI, .320 AVG

Werth dealing with hamstring, ankle issues

USA Today Sports Images

Jayson Werth grimaces after fouling a ball off his left ankle last night.

ATLANTA — Stephen Strasburg's forearm tightness drew most of the attention after last night's 3-2 loss to the Braves, but Jayson Werth also was dealing with a pair of nagging injuries that could prevent the right fielder from starting tonight for the Nationals.

Werth fouled an eighth-inning pitch off his left ankle and was writhing in pain for several minutes afterward. He finished the at-bat, striking out, but then was replaced in the field by Roger Bernadina in the bottom of the inning.

Turns out the ankle injury wasn't the reason for that move, but rather a cramped hamstring that had been plaguing Werth throughout the game.

"It's tight all day, really," Werth said. "Just never really got loose. Started having some muscle cramps towards the latter part of the game. I think the inning before I had some action in right, just

Strasburg's health overshadows loss

USA Today Sports Images

Stephen Strasburg allowed two runs over six laborious innings.

ATLANTA — His overall numbers — 3.13 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, nearly one strikeout per inning — are by no means cause for alarm. Those are the numbers you'd expect from a good major-league pitcher.

With Stephen Strasburg, though, the bar has been set exceedingly high, in part due to the hype surrounding the young right-hander but mostly by his own doing over parts of the last four seasons with the Nationals. So when Strasburg fails to live up to the beyond-lofty standards everyone has for him, it's only natural to wonder if he's 100 percent healthy.

After Monday night's 3-2 loss to the Braves, manager Davey Johnson suggested his ace isn't, that he was dealing with forearm tightness that required a postgame examination, that it's too early to know whether he'll make his next scheduled start or not. Strasburg refused even to acknowledge any physical issue and insisted he's "not missing my next start, I'll tell you right now."

This much is certain: Through his first six starts of 2013, Strasburg may be pitching well enough to give his team a chance, but he's not pitching well enough to be considered the ace of a World Series contender. And whatever is going on with his right arm at the moment is of more concern to his manager than the fact his team just lost its eighth straight game to its chief division rival.

"Yeah, that overrides everything," Johnson said. "Hopefully he's going to be all right. We'll just have to wait and see."
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Instant analysis: Braves 3, Nats 2

USA Today Sports Images

Danny Espinosa gets tangled up with Dan Uggla trying to turn a double play.

Game in a nutshell: The Nationals arrived at Turner Field feeling good about themselves after a rebound weekend against the Reds. The Braves returned home reeling from a 3-7 road trip. But then the tides turned for both clubs again, with Atlanta continuing its recent domination of Washington, pulling off its eighth straight win against its NL East rivals. Stephen Strasburg gave up another first-inning run and labored all night, somehow managing to depart after six innings allowing only two runs. Julio Teheran labored even worse, allowing 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings, yet the Nationals could only plate two runs against the erratic right-hander. That turned this game into a battle of bullpens, one that was won by the Braves. Tyler Clippard gave up the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh, with a leadoff walk coming back to haunt him, and the Nationals couldn't produce a late rally against Atlanta's tough-as-nails bullpen. Thus, they suffered another tough loss to their chief competitors and now trail the NL East by 3 1/2 games.

Hitting lowlight: The Nationals put plenty of men on base. They just couldn't drive enough of them in. For that, you can blame some poor execution at the plate in several innings. Strasburg couldn't

LaRoche gets advice from Chipper

Associated Press

Adam LaRoche and Chipper Jones have been close friends for years.

ATLANTA — He strolled into the Nationals clubhouse this afternoon, instantly recognizable even though he was in street clothes ... and in what has always been enemy territory at Turner Field.

Chipper Jones, though, no longer plays for the Braves. And given his longstanding friendship with Adam LaRoche, the future Hall of Famer didn't have to think twice about stopping by to give the Nationals first baseman some pointers how to snap out of one of the worst slumps of his career.

"I will always help a close friend if he asks," Jones later told the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Mired in an 0-for-26 slump that includes 13 strikeouts, LaRoche sought assistance today from his former Braves teammate and one of his closest friends in baseball. The two spent more than 30

Ramos back, but not in lineup

USA Today Sports Images

Wilson Ramos is on the active roster but isn't starting tonight.

ATLANTA — Though he's back on the Nationals' active roster for the first time in two weeks, Wilson Ramos will have to wait one more day before actually rejoining the starting lineup.

Activated off the 15-day disabled list this afternoon, Ramos remained on the bench for the Nationals' series opener against the Braves, with manager Davey Johnson not wanting to take any chances of his young catcher re-injuring his left hamstring.

"I treat hamstrings anything but lightly," Johnson said. "If he's OK today, he'll play tomorrow. I'm just being overly cautious. Just conforming with medical practices today. I'd rather be safe than sorry. That's all."

Ramos, who hurt himself April 13 running down the first-base line, appeared in two rehab games with Class AA Harrisburg, catching three innings on Friday and then six innings on Saturday. He didn't play or workout Sunday before joining the Nationals on their charter flight to Atlanta, which left Johnson to conclude he might still be a bit sore.
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Game 26: Nats at Braves

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

The Nats open a four-game series at Turner Field tonight.

ATLANTA — Only a couple of days ago, the Nationals looked at this week's trip to Atlanta potentially as a make-or-break early series against their division rivals, who held a 5-game lead and looked unstoppable. How quickly things change. All of a sudden, it's the Nats who feel good about themselves (after taking three of four from the Reds over the weekend) and the Braves who are in panic-mode (having lost seven of 10 and seen their NL East lead dwindle to 2 1/2 games).

This does still remain an important series for the Nationals, who certainly want to avenge their earlier sweep at the hands of the Braves in D.C. And it's an important start tonight for Stephen Strasburg, who is mired in a four-game losing streak for the first time in his career even though he's pitched fairly well during that stretch.

As expected, Wilson Ramos has been activated off the 15-day disabled list, with Jhonatan Solano optioned back to Class AAA Syracuse. Ramos, though, is surprisingly not in the lineup tonight. Kurt Suzuki will be behind the plate working with Strasburg. Anthony Rendon also has the night off, with Chad Tracy starting at third base against Atlanta right-hander Julio Teheran.

Updates to come...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at ATLANTA BRAVES
Where: Turner Field
Gametime: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, ESPN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 188
Weather: Partly cloudy, 74 degrees, Wind 4 mph out to CF

NATIONALS (13-12)
CF Denard Span
2B Danny Espinosa
LF Bryce Harper
RF Jayson Werth

State of the Nats-4/29

Photo by USA Today

Team Record: 13-12 (6-6)

N.L. East Standings

Offensive Game of the Week: Bryce Harper 4/27 vs. Reds – 2-3, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB

Pitching Line of the Week: Jordan Zimmerman 4/26 vs. Reds – 9 IP, 0 ER, H, BB, 4 SO, 91 pitches (59 strikes)

Top Storylines

Ryan Zimmerman, Wilson Ramos injuries - The Nats have two key guys rehabbing from hamstring injuries and both are set to return this week. Ramos will be with the Nats Monday night in Atlanta

VIDEO: Harper reflects on first year

A year has now passed since Bryce Harper was called up to the majors and made his major league debut. Harper hasn't spent much time looking back as he is one of the best players in baseball through this season's first month. But with a full calendar year gone by, Harper and his teammates reflected on the year that was recently after playing the Reds.

Losing patience, LaRoche keeps searching

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Adam LaRoche is a historically slow starter with a career .215 average in the month of April, far and away his lowest monthly average in statistical splits. But in 2013 he has been even worse than usual, sitting at a .143 clip on April 29 with 25 strikeouts in 21 games. 

And after going 0-for-4 in Sunday’s loss to the Reds, LaRoche is now on a 26 at-bat hitless streak with 13 strikeouts to boot. Slow starter or not, things are getting out of hand.

The ten-year veteran is used to having trouble out of the gate, he usually comes out of it at some point and finds his stroke. This run of misfortune, however, has him really searching.

“I don't know. I don't know what to tell you,” he said. “I've got one of two options here. I either keep my head up, keep swinging or pack up and go home. I'm not ready to go home yet.”

When LaRoche does make contact it seems to either go foul or right into an opponent’s glove. He said he is hitting too defensively because he keeps finding himself behind in counts. On Sunday he was behind 0-2 in three of his four at-bats and fell behind 1-2 the other.

Nats drop series finale to Reds

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Through three consecutive wins against the Reds it seemed as if the Nationals had everything going right for them. Their pitching was airtight and their offense suddenly woke up from its slumber from the series before. They were also getting fortunate bounces and calls, something that frustrated them during a previous losing streak.

But the Nats were in the middle of a four-game series against Cincinnati, not three, and had one more game to go on Sunday. And after seeing the Nats’ lineup three times, the Reds made the most of their opportunities and rode a hot pitcher to a 5-2 win over Washington before 36,457 at Nationals Park.

“When you play three good games like that, that’s why four game series are hard,” Ian Desmond said. “It’s hard to go out there and they got a pretty good scouting report on us after three offensive games.”

Nationals starter Ross Detwiler was able to prevent the Reds from making the game a blowout, allowing just one extra base hit through five innings of work despite giving up 11 total hits. The Reds made plenty of contact, but ten of them were singles and four didn’t even leave the infield.

Instant Analysis: Reds 5, Nats 2

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Game in a nutshell: For all the breaks and good fortune the Nats were receiving over the previous three days, everything came up Cincinnati and early on Sunday. Ten of their 11 hits off starter Ross Detwiler were singles as the Reds were just hitting balls where Nats defenders weren’t. On the mound, however, nothing was lucky about Tony Cingrani’s performance. The young lefty struck out 11 Nats batters, the most for a Reds rookie since Johnny Cueto did so in 2008. He was spectacular and probably benefitted from facing the Nats for the first time. The Nats finally got to the Reds’ bullpen for two runs late, but it wasn’t enough. Blown chances were the story of this game.

Hitting lowlight: It’s hard to single out one guy in the Nats order when everyone had so much trouble against Cingrani. But because of his recent stretch, Adam LaRoche gets the honor after continuing his hitless streak to 26 at-bats. LaRoche went 0-for-4 on Sunday with three strikeouts and four men left on base as his second K came with two outs and the bases loaded.

Zimm to rehab at Potomac Tuesday

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Ryan Zimmerman is scheduled to make a rehab assignment with Single-A Potomac on Tuesday and Wednesday before flying out to Pittsburgh Thursday night to join the Nats before their weekend series against the Pirates. Zimmerman said he expects to play third base with Potomac, having two at-bats on Tuesday and three at-bats the following day.

Zimmerman is currently on the 15-day disabled list after experiencing soreness in his left hamstring. Now over a week into his recovery, the Nats third baseman said he feels great and expects to be activated on schedule May 3.

Before Sunday’s game, Zimmerman took batting practice and ran the bases. He hit several home runs at the plate and looked his normal self while running. Zimmerman said he thinks the pain and discomfort have subsided and he is close to ready.

“It wasn’t anything bad,” he said. “You can usually tell the difference between something bad and something not that bad. It’s definitely a relief, we’re not there yet but we’re well on our way. These things, hamstrings, you never know. They can be small but stay small for a very long time, be small and get big, or go away. So hopefully it stays like this.”

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Game 25: Nats vs. Reds

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The Nationals' starting rotation has put in a string of solid outings to help lead Washington out of the darkness of their four-game losing streak and sweep by the St. Louis Cardinals. Now it's Ross Detwiler's (1-1, 1.38 ERA) turn to take the hill and help his team go for a four-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds and set the Nats up well for their upcoming road trip.

Detwiler faced the Reds earlier this season and allowed zero runs through six innings. In four starts this year he has pitched at least through the sixth and allowed two runs or less each time out. Detwiler has a 2.48 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 29 innings in his career vs. Cincinnati, but is 0-3 in those games. Today he'll look for his first win against the franchise.

Pitching for Cincinnati is fellow young lefty Tony Cingrani. The former third round pick of the 2011 draft will be making his sixth appearance in a major league game and just his third start. So far this season he is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched.

The Nats have dropped Adam LaRoche to sixth in the batting order after going hitless in his last 22 at-bats. Ian Desmond has moved up a slot after having a good day on Saturday with a walk, RBI, and run scored.

Updates to come...

CINCINNATI REDS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM)
Weather: Partly cloudy, 68 degrees, Wind 6 mph in from LF

NATIONALS (13-11)
CF Denard Span
2B Danny Espinosa
LF Bryce Harper
RF Jayson Werth
SS Ian Desmond

Haren, Harper lead Nats to third straight win

Photo by USA Today

In an overall inconsistent staff through the season’s first month, there was no question offseason acquisition Dan Haren was the weakest link. His ERA was over 7.00 entering Saturday’s game and he had yet to get an out in the sixth inning of a start. 

So after his strong outing in the Nats’ 6-3 win against the Reds, their third straight victory, Haren didn’t just feel relieved. He didn’t just feel happy to finally feel like himself again either. No, Haren went even further than that when describing his day.

“I finally feel like part of the team,” he said. “I’ve been waiting a long time to have a good start. My confidence has been building ever since the first game, getting pounded in Cincinnati.” 

“From then on, my confidence has gotten better and better, more and more. Today, I know I’ll feel good coming into the next start. When I took the ball today, I felt like I was going to win.”

Instant Analysis: Nats 6, Reds 3

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Game in a nutshell: The Nats took their third win in as many days against the Reds behind early offense and Dan Haren’s best start as a member of the team. Washington scored two runs in each of the second, third, and fourth innings to jump out to a comfortable lead and give Haren the room he needed to pitch an efficient afternoon. They forced Reds’ starter Mike Leake out of the game after three innings with a high pitch count, three walks and six hits. The Reds would scrape out three runs, but end up losing by a final score of 6-3. 

Hitting highlight: Bryce Harper is clearly the leader of the Nats’ lineup through the season’s first month and is making the case as one of the most dangerous hitters in all of baseball. He began had a single in the fourth, added a two-run home run (his ninth of the year) in the fifth, and drew a walk in the sixth. After today he is hitting .373 with nine homers (2^nd in majors) and 18 RBI. The homer and RBI totals are team records for the month of April. 

Zimmerman on track for Friday return

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Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman will not travel with the team to Atlanta early this week as he continues his recovery from a sore left hamstring, Davey Johnson announced on Saturday. The Nats manager said Zimmerman will stay back to have a rehab assignment, likely Monday, before joining the team for their series at Pittsburgh beginning Friday, May 3.

Zimmerman was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 20 after aggravating the injury running the bases against the Miami Marlins. He has continued throwing and is now running the bases as the next step is at-bats in a live game.

“I talked to Ryan yesterday in the dugout, he came in the dugout, and he said ‘I really like how I’m feeling, where I’m at,’” Johnson said.

Johnson expects Zimmerman to start his minor league rehab assignment on Monday at “whoever’s closest.” The Potomac Nationals would seem like a good bet as they host the Carolina Mudcats on Monday and Tuesday in Woodbridge, Va.

“I think he’s planning on going on Monday,” Johnson said.

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Game 24: Nats vs. Reds

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The Nats are coming off back-to-back one-hitters against the third highest scoring offense in the majors. Today they send Dan Haren (1-3, 7.36 ERA) to the hill who made his Nationals debut against the very same Reds earlier this season, allowing six earned runs in four innings out in Cincinnati.

Back in Washington's lineup is Anthony Rendon who will play third base and bat seventh. Danny Espinosa is hitting second as Steve Lombardozzi gets a rest. Everything else is pretty much as expected.

The Reds will pitch Mike Leake (1-0, 3.81 ERA), a former 8th overall pick. Leake has faced the Nationals seven different times in his young career, allowing 23 earned runs in 39 1/3 innings (a 5.26 ERA. After seeing their offense take a step back last night, maybe the Nats can get things going again against a guy they have been able to bat around in the past.

Updates to come...

CINCINNATI REDS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EDT
TV: FOX, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM)
Weather: Sunny, 72 degrees, Wind 6 mph in from LF

NATIONALS (12-11)
CF Denard Span
2B Danny Espinosa
LF Bryce Harper
RF Jayson Werth

1-hit wonders

Associated Press

Jordan Zimmermann acknowledges the crowd after his shutout victory.

Ignore, for a moment, the Nationals' offensive issues, which made a return appearance Friday night in scratching out all of one run on six hits against the Reds. Forget, for now, about Adam LaRoche's 0-for-18 slump at the plate and the injuries to Ryan Zimmerman and Wilson Ramos that have stripped Davey Johnson's lineup of two potent bats.

Sure, the Nationals still have some question marks four weeks into the season, questions that may or may resolve themselves in the days and weeks to come. On this night, don't spent a moment fretting about any of that and just sit back and appreciate back-to-back pitching performances not seen in these parts in nearly a century.

What Jordan Zimmermann did Friday deserves attention all unto itself. With a Clemens-like arsenal and Maddux-like efficiency, he 1-hit a very good Cincinnati lineup, going the distance on only 91 pitches, a masterful outing that proved entirely necessary for the Nationals to pull off a 1-0 victory on South Capitol Street.

"Since I've been here, that's the best-pitched game I've seen," manager Davey Johnson proclaimed.
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Instant analysis: Nats 1, Reds 0

USA Today Sports Images

Jordan Zimmermann shut out the Reds in his second complete game of the season.

Game in a nutshell: Who needs offense when you can pitch like this? The Nationals fell back into their slumping ways at the plate, but it didn't matter with Jordan Zimmermann on the mound. The right-hander completely overwhelmed the Reds lineup, tossing a complete-game, 1-hit shutout in one of the most dominant performances of his life and in Nationals history. Bryce Harper and Jayson Werth combined to produce the only run of the night, with Harper tripling and Werth singling off Homer Bailey in the bottom of the fourth. Zimmermann took over from there, carving up the Cincinnati lineup on only 91 pitches. In the process, he notched the first shutout of his career and his second complete-game victory this month. Winners of two in a row after dropping four in a row, the Nationals (12-11) are back over .500.

Hitting highlight: The way Zimmermann was pitching, the Nationals didn't need much offense. Good thing, because they

Rendon back on bench as Nats seek offense

USA Today Sports Images

Anthony Rendon is on the Nats' bench for the second straight night.

The Nationals promoted Anthony Rendon from Class AA Harrisburg last weekend, insisting the organization's top prospect would play every day at third base while Ryan Zimmerman recovered from a hamstring strain.

But with Rendon off to a slow start in D.C., and with Davey Johnson's reconfigured lineup producing eight runs Thursday night in an 8-1 victory over the Reds, the 22-year-old finds himself back on the bench tonight.

"I'm going at it day-by-day, and I don't like to change a winner," Johnson said this afternoon. "Nothing against Anthony Rendon. He's a heck of a player, and he's going to have a great career. But we're in the here and now, and I'm worried about 25 guys. ... That outweighs the need to play a youngster."

Rendon has only two hits in 15 big-league at-bats so far, striking out five times. He's also been charged with two errors at third base. Steve Lombardozzi didn't directly contribute to Thursday night's win, going 0-for-5, but the utilityman seemed a better fit as the Nationals' No. 2 hitter with Jayson Werth dropped to the cleanup spot to provide protection for Bryce Harper.
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Game 23: Reds at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Jordan Zimmermann tries to lead the Nats to a second straight win over the Reds.

Both Davey Johnson and Mike Rizzo have said — and re-iterated yesterday — that Anthony Rendon needs to play every day, whether in the big leagues or the minor leagues. Well, after last night's new-look lineup produced eight runs, Davey Johnson wasn't about to make another change.

So Steve Lombardozzi stays at third base, and Danny Espinosa (who homered and doubled on his birthday) stays at second base. That leaves Rendon on the bench for the second straight night, not an ideal scenario for the top prospect.

Jordan Zimmermann gets the start, hoping to take a cue from Gio Gonzalez last night and attack this potent Cincinnati lineup, record some quick outs and pitch deep into the night. He'll be opposed by fellow right-hander Homer Bailey, who shut out the Nationals over six innings three weeks ago.

Updates to come...

CINCINNATI REDS 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 185
Weather: Partly cloudy, 63 degrees, Wind 6 mph in from LF

NATIONALS (11-11)
CF Denard Span
3B Steve Lombardozzi
LF Bryce Harper
RF Jayson Werth

Nats Minor League Report-4/26

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Syracuse Chiefs - (8-12, 5^th in Int’l League North)

Offensive Player of the Week

The Nats may have questions at second base on their major league team, but there is no denying the organizational depth at the position. 24-year-old Jeff Kobernus is proving that notion with a .411/.457/.521 split through his first 19 games. The 2009 second round pick has 14 hits in his last ten games with at least two in four of his last seven. He leads the Chiefs in both runs (16) and stolen bases (8), ranking second in the International League in both categories.

Pitcher of the Week

Lefty J.C. Romero took the loss on Thursday after allowing the go-ahead run to Rochester, but his season so far can’t be overlooked. The 36-year-old has one earned run through nine relief appearances, posting a 0.93 and 14 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings pitched. Romero’s progress is a good sign for the Nats any way you look at it as he could be the next man up to help Washington’s bullpen.

Espinosa comes up big on 26th birthday

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By Michael Huberman

CSNwashington.com

With his team struggling to score runs, and he himself mired in an offensive slump, Nationals’ second baseman Danny Espinosa broke out in a big way on his 26^th birthday Thursday, going 2-for-4 with a home run, double, and two RBI in the Nationals’ 8-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds. 

Manager Davey Johnson was certainly pleased with his second baseman’s birthday performance. 

“I was really happy for Espi to see him swing the bat good, and I guess he has to have his birthday every day or something,” Johnson said.  

The Nationals came into the game losers of four straight, and with his team badly needing a win, Espinosa was one of many Nationals who stood out offensively against Cincinnati.

Everything comes up Nats in win vs. Reds

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Losers of four straight with a searching offense and erratic pitching, the Nationals’ 8-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday night was perhaps the perfect medicine for a team in an unexpected position as they near the end of the season’s first month. Their bats woke up, they got the breaks their opponents had been getting, and their starting pitcher was buzzing right from the first pitch. Finally, things were going the Nationals way.

Whether it was offense, pitching, or defense in the field: everything seemed to work out for the home team.

“That was a big day,” manager Davey Johnson said. “A lot of guys were saying to me, ‘It’s been a long time since we were shaking hands.’ I said no doubt about that.”

“It was just a good all-around game. That’s more like who we are: Good pitching, timely hitting.”

Instant Analysis: Nats 8, Reds 1

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Game in a nutshell: The Nationals had lost four straight with a total of four runs scored, a dismal stretch that forced manager Davey Johnson to make changes to his lineup. Whether it was his adjustments or not, the Nats finally broke through with a six-run outburst through the first three innings. They got started with an RBI double by birthday boy Danny Espinosa in the second and scored another on a slow infield grounder by Denard Span. In the third both Espinosa and Bryce Harper hit home runs as the Nats took a 6-0 lead and let pitcher Gio Gonzalez work the rest of the night with a comfortable lead.

Hitting highlight: The Nats entered the third inning with a two-run lead, but quickly decided they wanted more. Harper led off the inning with a solo home run to dead center field. Werth then singled and was moved to third on a Joey Votto throwing error after he fielded a grounder from Adam LaRoche. Ian Desmond scored Werth on a fielder’s choice groundball and Espinosa then scored both himself and LaRoche on a two-run shot to right-center field. Finally a big inning for the Nats’ offense. 

Davey changes lineup; Ramos/Zimm updates

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Stuck in a losing streak with a lineup gone especially cold over the last four games, Nationals manager Davey Johnson made changes for the second consecutive day in attempt to resuscitate his stagnant offense. In goes Steve Lombardozzi at third base and batting second, with Jayson Werth moving back into the cleanup spot and Adam LaRoche at fifth. 

Johnson said Lombardozzi had essentially played his way into the mix after batting .345 through his first 14 games. That, and Werth only has four hits in his last 26 ABs and is more useful later in the order with Ryan Zimmerman still on the disabled list.

“With Zimm out it kind of changes our dynamics,” Johnson said. “I like the lefty/righty thing and [Werth] was looking for a change. I was going to move him out of the two-hole and probably the next best on-base guy I got is Lombo who did a lot of hitting one or two last year. I wanted to get him in a game.”

Johnson could have gone in another direction and given Danny Espinosa a rest. The second baseman is batting a paltry .155/.197/.293, but Thursday was a special day for him. It was his birthday, no one wants to be demoted on their birthday.

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Game 22: Reds at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

The Reds are in town for a four-game series starting tonight.

Having lost four straight and nine of 12, with a lineup that has produced a run in only two of their last 37 innings, the Nationals will try to get back on track tonight against a tough Reds club that already took two-of-three from them three weekends ago in Cincinnati.

They'll do so with a new-look lineup, as promised last night by Davey Johnson. Steve Lombardozzi takes over at third base, batting second. Jayson Werth, meanwhile, gets bumped down to the cleanup spot. While it's not an ideal position for him long-term, it does make some sense right now. With Ryan Zimmerman on the DL and Adam LaRoche strug-a-ling big-time, the Nats need to offer some kind of protection for Bryce Harper.

The reconfigured lineup may or may not help. Either way, the Nationals also need a better performance out of Gio Gonzalez, who has quietly been all over the place so far this season, certainly not up to his 21-win level of a year ago. The key for Gio: Get early strikes and quick outs, something he's struggled in particular to do in 2013.

I'll have the early-game updates and analysis for you here, but then I'll handing the reins over

CINCINNATI REDS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), XM 186
Weather: Clear, 62 degrees, Wind 5 mph out to LF

NATIONALS (10-11)
CF Denard Span
3B Steve Lombardozzi
LF Bryce Harper
RF Jayson Werth

MLB Power Rankings: Rangers surging

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By Steve Roney

CSNwashington.com

This early in the season a lot can change in the space of a week, and while the Braves hold steady with the majors' best record, several teams have made big leaps -- and some have slid a mile. Here is how Nationals Insider Mark Zuckerman, Nats writer Chase Hughes, and I see the league stacking up as of today:

1. Atlanta Braves (LW: 1) – Hughes: The Braves look like the most balanced team in the majors and are playing without Brian McCann, Jonny Venters, and Brandon Beachy. It will be interesting to see what or who can slow them down.

2. Texas Rangers (LW: 9) - Roney: Josh who? They certainly don't miss Hamilton so far, and while Opening Day starter Matt Harrison is on the shelf until after the All-Star Break, Derek Holland and Yu Darvish continue to dazzle. 

3. Oakland Athletics (LW: 2) - Roney: Cleanup hitter Jed Lowrie is one of four Red Sox castoffs that Billy Beane has collected (Brandon Moss, Coco Crisp, Josh Reddick). Lowrie and Crisp, especially, are raking right now as they wait for Reddick - who led last year's team with 32 home runs - to finally get going.  

4. Boston Red Sox (LW: 4) – Hughes: Seeing the Red Sox do this well has to be a nice pick-me-up for the city of Boston. As long as Alfredo Aceves doesn’t get in the way (ed. note: Aceves was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket Thursday morning), they could be back in the playoffs this season.

Figuring out Strasburg's 1st inning woes

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Stephen Strasburg gave up three first-inning runs yesterday.

Somewhat lost yesterday amid the angst of another woeful offensive performance from the Nationals was Stephen Strasburg's outing, one that began with a thud but ended with a bang.

Strasburg was roughed up by the Cardinals in the top of the first inning, allowing three runs on three hits and a walk, and looking very much like he'd be in for a long afternoon on the mound. But the right-hander immediately righted his ship and wound up recording a quality start, not surrendering another run before he departed after seven strong innings.

The difference in Strasburg's results from the first inning vs. the rest of his start could be boiled down to one key stat: first-pitch strikes. He got ahead 0-1 to only three of the seven batters he faced in the top of the first; after that, he got ahead to 13 of the

After another loss, shake-up coming

The Nationals didn't just win 98 games last year and reach the postseason for the first time in club history, they did so without putting themselves through any prolonged stretch of legitimate adversity.

That may have left everyone — uniformed personnel, fans and media alike — to assume the 2013 campaign would proceed with nary a bump in the road with a roster that didn't appear to have any true flaws cruising along toward another division title and then October success.

Three weeks in, it's already become obvious things won't come as easily to the Nationals this season as they did last season. After a 4-2 loss to the Cardinals on Wednesday, their fourth straight, they suddenly find themselves in a wholly unfamiliar position: Below the .500 mark, with growing questions about their ability to score enough runs to win games.

"What we're going through, it's the first time this team has dealt with expectations, and there's something to be said about that," right fielder Jayson Werth said. "But we'll adjust. The league has adjusted to us; we'll adjust to the league. We'll be fine. We've got too much talent."
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Instant analysis: Cardinals 4, Nats 2

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Stephen Strasburg rebounded from a rough first inning to post a quality start.

Game in a nutshell: Losers of three straight and in a major offensive funk, the Nationals hoped the combination of Stephen Strasburg on the mound and a couple of new guys in the lineup (Tyler Moore, Jhonatan Solano) would get them back on track. It didn't. Strasburg gave up three runs in the top of the first, and though he recovered, it was too much of a hole for the Nationals' lineup to escape. Left-hander Jaime Garcia shut them down for 5 2/3 innings, then the Cardinals bullpen pitched its way out of several late jams, the Nats not exactly helping themselves with some of their approaches at the plate. Just like that, a team favored to win the World Series three weeks ago finds itself having lost nine of 12, with a sub-.500 record for the first time since the final day of the 2011 season. Not quite what anybody had in mind.

Hitting lowlight: It's pretty much all lowlights at the plate right now, but let's focus on the lowest of the lows from this game: The bottom of the seventh. With runners on the corners and one out,

Davey sticking with Espinosa through slump

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Through his first 16 games this season, Danny Espinosa has played crisp defense at second base and cut down his strikeouts to about half the rate he whiffed last season. But a late 2012 slump has seemed to carry over into the new year as Espinosa remains a hole in the Nationals’ lineup with an ugly .167 batting average and just three hits in his last eight games. 

The Nationals falling to .500 (10-10) on Tuesday night prompted manager Davey Johnson to make some lineup changes, but Espinosa remained at second base. The Nats skipper thinks if he keeps Espinosa in there, at some point he will pull through.

“Danny had a great spring. He’s a deep thinker, too. Sometimes he gets in his own way,” Johnson said.

“I see signs where it looks like he’s really getting focused and then I see times where he gets thinking too much. He’s not alone. Desi does the same thing. Tries to do too much and have conversations with him. Mostly, you gotta just stay positive.”

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Game 21: Cardinals at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

The Nationals try to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Cardinals today.

Davey Johnson said last night he planned to make some lineup changes for today's series finale against the Cardinals. So what are those changes? Well, Tyler Moore is at first base instead of Adam LaRoche, and Jhonatan Solano is catching instead of Kurt Suzuki.

Not exactly a major shakeup, but Johnson said that had more to do with today's matchup, with Jaime Garcia on the mound for St. Louis. He didn't want to bench Danny Espinosa and Anthony Rendon and deny them a chance to bat against a left-hander. LaRoche and Suzuki will likely be back in the lineup tomorrow against the Reds.

Stephen Strasburg gets the start, looking to snap his string of losses at three. The Nationals would love to get a quality, and long outing out of their ace, who has been plagued by high pitch counts more than he would prefer.

It's a beautiful afternoon for baseball. If you're stuck in the office, never fear. I've got plenty of updates right here...

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv, MLB Network (outside D.C. market)
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500 AM), XM 184
Weather: Sunny, 71 degrees, Wind 14 mph out to LF

NATIONALS (10-10)
CF Denard Span
RF Jayson Werth
LF Bryce Harper
1B Tyler Moore

Nats run into rolling Wainwright

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Struggling to score over their previous two games and missing two regulars in their lineup, the Nationals could have used a game against some run-of-the-mill, meatball tossing pitcher. Perhaps the last man they would have liked to face on Tuesday was Adam Wainwright. 

Not only is Wainwright one of the hottest pitchers in baseball, he took to the mound a source of extra motivation. Knowing he had trouble with Washington hitters in particular last season, and knowing he wasn’t at his best the last time he pitched at Nationals Park in Game 5 of the NLDS, Wainwright had an axe to grind. 

Unfortunately for the Nats, they had to be sacrificed.

“That start, even though we won the game, that served as motivation,” he said. “That game to me was a game that I live for and I was disappointed in the effort I put out there. It just gives you incentive to work harder in the offseason and come back stronger.”

Davey: Time to "get a little mad"

Associated Press

Adam LaRoche reacts after striking out with the bases loaded in the sixth.

Baseball is a sport that requires patience. It requires an even-keeled approach. You can't get too high when things are going well. You can't get too low when things aren't.

The Nationals excelled in this department last season en route to an MLB-best 98 wins, and they've tried to stress the same approach during the early stages of this highly anticipated season. But there comes a time when frustration starts to boil over, and Davey Johnson appeared to reach that stage Tuesday night following a 2-0 loss to the Cardinals that dropped his team to the .500 mark.

"I'm usually pretty patient, but I'm getting to my rope's end," the 70-year-old manager said. "The effort's there, but we're just not getting it done. We've got the players who can get it done, we're just not getting it done. It's time to get a little mad."

Time to get mad? Twenty games into a 162-game marathon? That may seem a bit premature, but the way his team is slumping at the plate right now, it's tough to blame Johnson for being frustrated.
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Instant analysis: Cardinals 2, Nats 0

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Ross Detwiler allowed two runs over six strong innings.

Game in a nutshell: Would this be the night the Nationals' offense finally got going again? Not with Adam Wainwright on the mound. The Cardinals right-hander was brilliant from the moment he took the mound, getting quick outs, keeping the Nats off base and nearly going the distance. (Edward Mujica recorded the final two outs for the save.) Ross Detwiler tried his best to keep pace but suffered a slight hiccup during a two-run fourth inning. That still should have been good enough, but it's not good enough when your lineup can't produce anything at the plate. After getting shut out by the Mets on Sunday and shut down by the Cards on Monday, the Nationals again couldn't push a run across. They only had a couple of decent opportunities and came up short each time, leading to another frustrating loss for a club that has now lost eight of 11 and has fallen to 10-10 on the young season.

Hitting lowlight: How much are the Nationals missing Ryan Zimmerman's presence in their lineup right now? A lot, especially

Davey diagnoses Nats' problems

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Entering Tuesday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Nationals have a winning record and aren't even 20 games into the 2013 season, but inconsistency from night to night has produced an underwhelming start for a team with big goals in mind.

Manager Davey Johnson wishes he had the answer to what could get his team going, back on the near 100-win pace they maintained last season, but he can tell you what is going wrong. Johnson thinks it may have to do with those very expectations created by their dominant 2012 season.

"If there was some elixir I could throw out there, I'd have already used it," Johnson said.

"There's a lot of times I think they are trying to do too much. I think some of the pitchers are trying to do too much. Maybe from everybody picking us as a candidate to win our division, everybody's trying to be a little better than they need to be instead of relaxing and going out there and doing what they're capable of doing."

The pitching staff is where Johnson says the team's biggest problems exist as he thinks the offense is, in general, holding up their end as well as he would expect.

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Game 20: Cardinals at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Ross Detwiler faces Adam Wainwright tonight at Nationals Park.

The Nationals could certainly use a win tonight, if for nothing else than to keep themselves from continuing a slow, downward spiral, not to mention seeing their record fall to the .500 mark. The good news: They've got their most effective pitcher (to date this season) on the mound in Ross Detwiler.

Detwiler has been nothing short of fantastic through his first three starts of the year, posting a miniscule 0.90 ERA while pounding the strike zone with almost nothing but fastballs. It's been an effective formula for the lefty, who really has blossomed since late last season, perhaps his biggest start coming against the Cardinals in Game 4 of the NLDS.

The man who started Game 5 of that series for St. Louis, Adam Wainwright, is also on the mound tonight. Though the veteran right-hander has been strong so far in 2013, the Nationals have had considerable success against him. In four head-to-head encounters in 2012, the Nationals twice pounded Wainwright for six runs and knocked him out early.

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 89
Weather: Clear, 62 degrees, Wind 5 mph in from CF

NATIONALS (10-9)
CF Denard Span
RF Jayson Werth
LF Bryce Harper
1B Adam LaRoche

Around the NL East: Mets offense sizzles

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By Steve Roney
CSNwashington.com

Sizing up the week that was in the National League East, it's hard not to note that while the Braves stumbled a bit, neither the Nationals nor the Mets were able to gain any ground on the division leaders, who enjoy the most comfortable lead (3.5 games) in all of baseball. It's still early, of course -- one great streak by either Washington or New York and that lead is gone.

Atlanta Braves: 13-5

As mentioned above, the Braves cooled a bit this week after their incredibly hot start, dropping the final three of a four-game set against Pittsburgh. They still enjoy the best record in the game, though they now share that mantle with the surprising Colorado Rockies. 

No matter what side of the infield he's on, Chris Johnson continues to rake, leading the team with a .407 average and a .435 OBP while filling in for the still-disabled Freddie Freeman at first. Once Freeman returns, manager Fredi Gonzalez will have a tough choice to make, as Juan Francisco is hovering near .300 while manning third. Obviously both will struggle to maintain those rates (and it's a near-certainty that Johnson won't continue to bat .400), but Atlanta will hope their regression coincides with the emergence of at least one of the sub-.200 hitters: Dan Uggla, B.J. Upton, and Jason Heyward. One of them has to break out soon, right?

Player of the Week: Johnson, 3B/1B: 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .389 AVG

On Haren, Rendon and Storen

USA Today Sports Images

Dan Haren allowed three runs over five-plus innings.

Though the lack of a clutch hit was the main focus of last night's 3-2 loss to the Cardinals, there were several other developments worth noting from the Nationals' perspective.

Let's run through three of them...

HAREN SHOWS SIGNS OF PROGRESS
It was by no means a quality start, either by the official definition or based purely on observation, but Dan Haren did make some big strides in his fourth outing as a National.

After getting beat around by the Reds, White Sox and Marlins, Haren was mostly effective against a tough St. Louis lineup. He gave up a two-run double to Allen Craig in the third when Denard Span couldn't quite haul the ball in against the wall. But otherwise, the right-hander was unscathed through his first five innings of work.

"I guess a little bit better," he said. "I mean, I gotta get obviously deeper in the game. I feel good. My stuff is good. ... I gave us a