Nats trounced again, Harper speaks out

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DETROIT — At the end of yet another lopsided loss, inside a disconsolate clubhouse full of players who slowly are coming to the realization this season is beyond repair, the youngest guy in the room stood up and offered a rare-but-impassioned plea for his teammates, coaches and manager not to give up on 2013.

"You've got to have heart right now," Bryce Harper said following an 11-1 trouncing at the hands of the Tigers. "You've got to play as a family, and everybody's got to want it, starting with the manager on down to everybody."

Whether the Nationals collectively have been showing much heart or not in recent weeks is up for debate. The results on the field are not.

They've lost 14 of their last 20 games, a stretch that had already included scores of 8-3, 9-2 and 11-0 prior to Wednesday's blowout. They've scored zero or one run in seven of those 14 losses, not to mention 30 total times in 108 games this season.
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Instant analysis: Tigers 11, Nats 1

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Game in a nutshell: In a word: Ugly. In two words: Really ugly. Gio Gonzalez was torched for 10 runs in only 3 1/3 innings, one of the worst starts in Nationals history. Justin Verlander, after allowing an early run in the top of the first, dominated through the sixth before handing it over to the Tigers bullpen. Ross Ohlendorf, in relief of Gonzalez, lasted only 11 pitches before departing with some sort of injury. Even Bryce Harper appeared to wince after a seventh-inning swing, ultimately leaving the game one inning later. Put it all together and you've got the latest disaster of a ballgame for the Nationals, who have reached the two-thirds point of the season with a 52-56 record. At this rate, they'd finish with 78 wins.

Hitting lowlight: Just as they did Tuesday night, the Nationals jumped on a tough opposing pitcher for a quick run in the top of

Davey: No trades "imminent"

Associated Press

DETROIT — As the clock winds down to today's 4 p.m. trade deadline, the Nationals appear to be staying true to their word and refraining from making any moves that would alter their roster for the season's final two months.

Manager Davey Johnson spoke with general manager Mike Rizzo, who remains in Washington with other top front-office execs, this morning and came away with the same vibe he's had all week: Rizzo isn't planning any deals.

"He's always trying to do something to help the club," Johnson said. "But it didn't seem like there would be anything imminent."

The Nationals have maintained all along they didn't feel like a significant roster change would be prudent, neither as a way to boost a struggling club trying to get back in the pennant race nor as a way to dump veteran salaries. Entering today's series finale in Detroit, the Nationals are a season-high 10 games behind the Braves in the NL East, 6 1/2 games behind the Reds for the NL's final Wild Card berth.
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McCatty to rejoin club Monday

DETROIT — Pitching coach Steve McCatty has been cleared to be released from the hospital and plans to rejoin the Nationals on Monday for the start of their next homestand.

McCatty, 59, has been in a D.C. hospital since Sunday, when he experienced high blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat. He was hoping to be released and travel to Detroit, his hometown, for this week's series with the Tigers but wasn't cleared by doctors yet.

McCatty still hasn't been cleared to travel, so he'll miss this weekend's series in Milwaukee, reassuming his position on Monday when the Nationals return home to face the first-place Braves.

Davey Johnson has been handling pitching coach duties in McCatty's absence since Sunday, but the Nationals manager said the organization plans to bring in a temporary replacement for the weekend series in Milwaukee. The two likely options: Class AAA pitching coach Greg Booker and minor-league pitching coordinator Spin Williams.

Game 108: Nats at Tigers

Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

DETROIT — As much as the Nationals have struggled over the years against Anibal Sanchez, might they actually be looking forward to facing Justin Verlander today? OK, that might be stretching things a bit. But 2013 Verlander (3.99 ERA, 1.409 WHIP) isn't exactly 2011-2012 Verlander (2.52 ERA, 0.987 WHIP), so perhaps there's a sliver of hope.

Davey Johnson is trying a slightly different look for today's game. Denard Span (15-for-42 in his career vs. Verlander) is leading off, with Bryce Harper right behind him. Meanwhile, the red-hot Jayson Werth (.371/.448/.629 in July) swaps spots with the ice-cold Adam LaRoche (.167/.237/.298 in July).

Gio Gonzalez gets the nod for the Nationals, hoping to keep this potent Detroit lineup in check and get his team back on the winning track before they head out of town for a weekend in Milwaukee.

Updates to come...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at DETROIT TIGERS
Where: Comerica Park
Gametime: 1:08 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, Ch. 9, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 176
Weather: Cloudy, 74 degrees, Wind 6 mph in from LF

NATIONALS (52-55)
CF Denard Span
LF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Jayson Werth

1 bad pitch, 10 games back

Associated Press

DETROIT — He had dominated one of baseball's toughest lineups all night, but here stood Stephen Strasburg in the bottom of the sixth inning Tuesday night, needing to execute one more pitch in order to escape a bases-loaded jam and keep the Nationals and Tigers tied at Comerica Park.

The count was 2-1 to Alex Avila, and Wilson Ramos called for a fastball down and away to Detroit's .193-hitting catcher. Strasburg, though, misfired by a foot, leaving the 96-mph heater on the lower-inside corner, right in Avila's wheelhouse. As the ball soared toward the right-field bleachers and the crowd of 41,880 rejoiced the grand slam, Strasburg could only soak it all in, mutter a couple of things and try to recompose himself and finish his evening.

The rest of the Nationals, meanwhile, could only take a deep breath and come to grips with their latest dose of stark reality: This 5-1 loss to Detroit, combined with the Braves' lopsided win over Colorado, leaves them a full 10 games back in the NL East entering the final day of July.

"I really could care less what the Braves do," shortstop Ian Desmond said. "We're [three] games under .500. We've got to worry about ourselves. That's first and foremost. And then the rest will take care of itself."

It may not matter if the rest takes care of itself. The Nationals aren't holding up their end of the bargain, and because of it they're digging themselves into an even deeper hole.
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Instant analysis: Tigers 5, Nats 1

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Game in a nutshell: The Nationals arrived in Detroit feeling good about themselves after winning three straight against the Mets over the weekend, but they quickly realized they were in for a tougher fight against the Tigers. Stephen Strasburg and Anibal Sanchez engaged in a strong pitchers' duel for five innings, each allowing one run and pitching with high efficiency. But then things unraveled for Strasburg in the sixth, capped by Alex Avila's game-changing grand slam. The Nationals couldn't recover from that, so Strasburg was left to take another tough loss, and the Nats' good weekend vibes were smothered. With the Braves up big against Colorado, the Nationals were in danger of falling 10 games back in the NL East by night's end, with Wednesday's 4 p.m. trade deadline looming.

Hitting lowlight: Three batters into this game, the Nationals looked like they might have something cooking against Sanchez. Bryce Harper's leadoff triple and Ryan Zimmerman's RBI single

McCatty still in D.C. hospital

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DETROIT — Steve McCatty remains in a D.C. hospital two days after he was admitted with high blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat, but the Nationals hope their pitching coach will be released on Wednesday and rejoin the club sometime soon after that.

"Cat's doing alright," manager Davey Johnson said before tonight's game against the Tigers. "They're just keeping him the hospital tonight, and then they'll probably let him out tomorrow. Just being really careful with him, and I'm glad they're doing that."

McCatty, 59, was taken to the hospital Sunday morning after he experienced atrial fibrillation at Nationals Park before the club's series finale against the Mets. He has been receiving medication for the condition since and was hopeful of joining the Nationals on their Monday afternoon charter flight to Detroit.

Doctors, though, want McCatty to remain in the hospital until the medication takes full effect and allows him to travel without concern. It's unclear when that will be the case, but it's unlikely he'll return to the dugout in time for Wednesday afternoon's finale of this brief, two-game series in Detroit, his hometown.
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Game 107: Nats at Tigers

Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

DETROIT — Good afternoon from Comerica Park, one of baseball's truly underrated ballparks. The Nationals are making only their second-ever appearance here, still seeking their first win after getting swept in June 2010. Stephen Strasburg was on the roster at that point, having made his second career start only two days earlier in Cleveland. Tonight, he'll actually pitch here against the Tigers, a compelling matchup in itself.

His team having won three straight at home against the Mets, Davey Johnson is sticking with the same lineup tonight against Anibal Sanchez. There is, of course, one twist: Since we're in an American League park, the DH is in effect. So tonight it'll be Chad Tracy, batting ninth behind all the other regulars.

Updates to come, please check back...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at DETROIT TIGERS
Where: Comerica Park
Gametime: 7:08 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 179
Weather: Partly cloudy, 74 degrees, Wind 5 mph in from LF

NATIONALS (52-54)
LF Bryce Harper
2B Anthony Rendon
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche

Nats not real active as deadline arrives

USA Today Sports Images

DETROIT — While most of the baseball world approaches Wednesday afternoon's trade deadline with fervor, clubs clearly setting themselves up to be buyers or sellers, the Nationals' response to the annual late-July frenzy appears to be a shrug.

Positioned neither as a strong contender seeking a big boost to get over the hump nor as an also-ran seeking to dump veterans, the Nationals don't expect to do anything bold before the 4 p.m. deadline arrives.

As much as their lineup has underperformed, the Nationals don't have an obvious hole to fill. All eight regulars are under team control for another year, all but Adam LaRoche under control through at least 2015. And those eight players, taken collectively, have been more productive than you might have guessed: They've combined to hit .272 with a .338 on-base percentage and .448

Around the NL East: Deadline time

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By Steve Roney
CSNwashington.com

All around baseball, buyers are looking for parts to add and finding few willing trade partners; the second wild card, still a new facet of the game, has widened not only the playoff field but also deepened the pool of teams who believe they have a shot. That likely doesn't apply to most of the NL East, however, as a recent tumble has made Philadelphia realize that it has no business making a run, and also-rans New York and Miami have been out for months already.

Atlanta Braves (61-45)

It's over-simplifying, a bit, to call Atlanta the division's only good team; it's also a pretty fair assumption to make after 100 games have been played. The Braves boast not only the East's only winning record, still, but now lead Washington by nine games. The fat lady isn't warming up her vocal chords just yet, but she's at least going over the sheet music. Atlanta added Scott Downs from the Angels, nabbing that left-handed relief that everyone is looking for at this point in the season and that they sorely needed with Venters and O'Flaherty sidelined. Do they need more help to make the playoffs? No. They should still contemplate a bat, because too many regulars are hitting around .200 for the Braves to truly feel like a championship-caliber club.

One player who is not swinging the cowhide-averse bats apparently favored by the Uptons and Dan Uggla is Chris Johnson, who has manned third base more than admirably for most of the season now. A throw-in at the time, he has been the most productive player acquired from Arizona over the winter, hitting a crisp .338. He offers almost no power for a third baseman, but a .377 OBP forgives a good deal of that. 

Player of the Week: Johnson, 3B: 5 R, 0 HR, 1 RBI, .476 AVG

State of the Nats - 7/29

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Team Record: 52-54 (20-21)

N.L. East Standings

Wild Card Standings

Offensive Game of the Week: Jayson Werth 7/22 vs. Pirates - 2-for-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R

Pitching Line of the Week: Stephen Strasburg 7/24 vs. Pirates - 8 IP, ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 12 SO, 118 pitches, 80 strikes

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Can they keep it up? - Having won four of their last five games, the Nats would probably prefer not taking a day off in interest of continuing their momentum. But fortunately for them, the recent three game winning streak came with the back of their rotation pitching. They'll pick back up on Tuesday with Strasburg on the mound - who is coming off a dominant start against Pittsburgh - and Gio Gonzalez and Jordan Zimmermann to follow. If the Nationals are going to start making a run anytime soon, now would be a good time. The Tigers are up next and have been hot lately, but after the Nats leave Detroit they play nine of their next 12 games against teams with losing records. They have been saying for weeks, if not months, that 'now is the time.' But really, now is the time.

Is it still possible to catch the Braves?

USA Today Sports Images

As bad as things looked for the Nationals only a couple of days ago, the mood perked up considerably over the weekend. I think everyone forgot what it feels like to win three straight games.

Make no mistake, the Nationals still have plenty of issues. And there is precious little time to get those resolved and make an all-out run through the season's final 56 games. But while there isn't a lot of hope of this team reaching October, there is still a sliver of hope, one worth examining.

The good folks at Baseball Prospectus publish a daily "Playoff Odds Report," which is a fun read and one way to look at the state of things in both the NL and AL. The picture they paint for the Nationals isn't a particularly good one, but it's not entirely bleak, either.

In its simulation of the rest of the season, played out a million times, the Nationals emerge as NL East champs only 3.1 percent of the time. They capture one of the NL's two Wild Card berths an

Wild homestand ends with winning streak

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The Nationals returned from the All-Star break on July 19 with a winning record, a healthy roster and reason to believe they could take advantage of a long homestand to thrust themselves into the thick of the National League pennant race.

So what transpired over the next 10 days? How much time do you have to run through the laundry list?

The Nationals got swept by the Dodgers. Then they fired their hitting coach, against the manager's wishes. They extended their losing streak to six games before snapping it on Bryce Harper's first career walk-off homer. They got blown out by 11 runs in the first game of a doubleheader, then won the nightcap on Ryan Zimmerman's ninth career walk-off homer. After which they sent their former closer to Class AAA, prompting another reliever to harshly criticize the organization. And then, just as their season appeared on the verge of disaster, they rebounded to win three in a row, capped by Sunday's record-setting, 14-1 throttling of the Mets.

How on earth do the Nationals make sense of all that?

"We can't get too excited," center fielder Denard Span said. "We've been up and down all season. We've just got to stay the course, just try to win series. Definitely this weekend's series was very important for us to win three out of four, especially after losing ... six in a row. Just started off with Zimmerman getting that walk-off home run the other night, and we've just carried that momentum the last two days."
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McCatty in hospital with high BP, heart rate

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Steve McCatty will spend the night in a District hospital after missing today's Nationals game with high blood pressure and an irregular heart beat, but the club's pitching coach is expected to fly Monday on the team's charter to Detroit and be in the dugout for Tuesday night's series opener against the Tigers.

McCatty was at Nationals Park this morning but started experiencing his symptoms more than an hour before gametime, according to manager Davey Johnson. He was taken to a nearby hospital, though not by ambulance, for examination by doctors.

Following the Nationals' 14-1 win over the Mets, Johnson said McCatty, 59, was doing "alright" and is "his usual grumpy self" but would be kept overnight for observation and to receive medication before he could travel. McCatty, a Michigan native, had been planning to fly to Detroit a day early but now will fly with the rest of the club on Monday afternoon.

"They'll give him some medication, thin his blood, and something to slow his heart rate down," Johnson said. "Hopefully he'll come out of the irregular beat. ...

Instant analysis: Nats 14, Mets 1

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Game in a nutshell: Remember when the Nationals were a disaster? You know, like, three days ago? Well, they've suddenly won four of their last five games and look capable of going on a sustained run. OK, OK, so we've been down this road before, and given the way this season has gone, you'd be wise not to get too excited yet. But there's nothing wrong with enjoying today's lopsided victory, a complete thrashing of the Mets pitching staff. The Nationals rapped out a season-high 18 hits, getting at least one base hit from seven of their eight starting position players (all but Adam LaRoche). Wilson Ramos hit a grand slam. Denard Span hit another homer. Ian Desmond went 4-for-4 with two doubles. Ryan Zimmerman had three hits. Nobody was happier about all that than Taylor Jordan, who in his sixth career start finally earned his first career win, allowing one run over six innings. The Nationals have by no means turned their season around. But they're back to 52-54, and they're actually feeling good about themselves for the moment. So that's an improvement.

Hitting highlight: There were no shortage of options here, so let's not limit this to only one specific player or one specific inning, but instead to one specific part of the Nationals' lineup: the bottom of

Game 106: Mets at Nats

Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

The way things had been going around here only a couple of days ago, the fact the Nationals today have a chance to win four of their last five is rather remarkable. But that's the position they find themselves in after walk-off wins Thursday and Friday and then yesterday's 4-1 victory over the Mets. Funny how this game works.

If they do find a way to take today's series finale against the Mets, they may just hand Taylor Jordan his much-awaited first career win. The rookie right-hander certainly has pitched well enough in his first five starts (3.68 ERA) to deserve better than an 0-3 record. Today presents a new challenge for him, facing an opponent for the second time for the first time (if that makes sense).

Check back for updates...

NEW YORK METS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 187
Weather: Scattered storms, 80 degrees, Wind 9 mph out to LF

NATIONALS (51-54)
LF Bryce Harper
2B Anthony Rendon
3B Ryan Zimmerman

Haren pitches Nats past Mets

Photo by USA Today

Of the many things that have gone wrong for the underachieving Nationals this season, perhaps no player has been more of a disappointment than starting pitcher Dan Haren. It’s okay to say it, even Haren will tell you that’s the case. 

“Obviously we’re a few games under .500 and a big reason for that is me, among other guys, but I take a lot of the blame,” he said after the Nats’ 4-1 win over the Mets on Saturday.

So to have the veteran seemingly turn a corner of late, at least across his four starts since returning from the disabled list, perhaps it can be taken as a sign of something bigger. The Nats have broken out of their losing ways momentarily at times over the past few months, but Haren has failed to maintain any sort of consistency from start to start. 

Momentum has been a topic the Nats have shied away from after recent wins, knowing just one win can’t get them out of the general malaise they have been in for most of this season. But there was a general message of positivity after Saturday’s win, their third in the last four games. 

The other two wins were on walkoff homers, while the loss was an 11-0 drubbing at the hand of the Mets. Haren says that game may have been rock bottom for the team, and to respond in the way they have over the last 24 hours gives a sense this recent stretch could actually be the start of something.

Instant Analysis: Nats 4, Mets 1

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Game in a nutshell: The Nationals rode some early scoring and one of Dan Haren's best starts of the season to a 4-1 victory over the Mets, their third win in their last four games. Haren was efficient right from the start and pitched the first three innings without allowing a hit. He even added a double and a run to his cause in an all around great day for the veteran starter. The Nats' offense also gave Haren some early help with two runs in the second inning off solo homers and another two in the third off a two-run bomb by Bryce Harper. Once Haren left the game after the seventh, Tyler Clippard and Rafael Soriano closed it out, working around a hour-long rain delay. After a grueling doubleheader and dramatic postgame, the Nats showed no ill effects from the quick turnaround and played one of their most complete games as a team in quite some time.

Hitting highlight: The Nats jumped out with an early lead in the win, scoring two runs in the second and two more in the third, all on home runs. The first two came on back-to-back solo shots by Ian Desmond and Denard Span. The third homer was a two-run smash by Harper in the third inning to score Haren who had reached with a double.

Nats leave it up to Storen; Rizzo on Clippard

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Mike Rizzo took some time early Saturday afternoon to discuss sending struggling reliever Drew Storen to the minors. He said the decision to option him to Triple-A was made before Storen even took the mound during Friday’s doubleheader, even as he was battling the flu with a body temperature over 100 degrees. Rizzo now hopes Storen can work through both the confidence issues he may be dealing with, and also alter his mechanics to make his delivery quicker to the plate.

It was a tough decision for the Nationals to make, but Rizzo says it is best for the former first round pick.

“We felt that he was struggling, struggling with his mechanics, with his tempo with his delivery, with his arm slot, and we felt that we would do him better by letting him go down in a less stressful situation, work on his mechanics, get it fixed and get back up here and help us.”

Rizzo spoke with Storen about the move and said the 25-year-old was quite upset.

“He took it hard like a lot of guys that have established themselves in the big leagues take it,” Rizzo said. “I had a long conversation with him today and it was a very good conversation. I explained to him our rationale for it and that he’s a huge part of this organization and he’s going to be for a long time and just need to get him right.”

Rizzo acknowledged the fact bringing in free agent Rafael Soriano may have been the root of Storen’s downfall, but believes it should not have affected him as much as it potentially has.

Game 105: Mets at Nats

Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

The last 48 hours for the Nationals have been one wild and crazy time. Two walkoff wins bookending a lopsided loss and some postgame comments by Tyler Clippard that will surely reverberate through the clubhouse.

The Nats have yet another chance today to build off a dramatic, 'could this be the one' win. Lately their response to such victories has been rather flat, just look at their 11-0 loss yesterday in the first game of the doubleheader.

Today they face Dillon Gee (7-7, 4.07 ERA) who has already beaten the Nats three times this season. He pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings on April 21, seven innings of one-run ball on June 5, and six innings with one earned run on June 29.

Dan Haren (4-11, 5.79) will pitch against the Mets for the second time this year. He got shelled for five earned runs in four innings on June 5.

Stay tuned for updates...

NEW YORK METS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 3:05 p.m. EDT
TV: FOX, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 183
Weather: Scattered T-storms, 84 degrees, Wind 12 mph RF to LF

NATIONALS (50-54)
LF Bryce Harper
2B Anthony Rendon
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche
RF Jayson Werth
SS Ian Desmond
CF Denard Span
C Wilson Ramos
RHP Dan Haren

A day, and night, of emotions

Associated Press

The emotional ups and downs of a baseball season can be draining for any club, let alone one expected to be among the sport's best but slogging its way through a prolonged train-wreck stretch of games. What the Nationals have experienced over the last 36 hours alone would normally be enough to fill a month.

It began Thursday afternoon with a wild victory over the Pirates that saw their closer blow a four-run lead in the top of the ninth, only to see their young star produce his first career game-winning homer in the bottom of the inning.

It continued Friday afternoon with an ugly, lopsided, 11-0 loss to the Mets that saw their former closer sent to the mound facing a 5-run deficit despite the fact he was battling flu-like symptoms and wasn't expected to pitch at all.

And then it was capped off Friday evening in the nightcap of a wild doubleheader with a familiar face providing a familiar thrill to lead the Nationals to a 2-1 win, only to be trumped in some ways by the postgame demotion of that former closer to the minors and critical comments from a teammate lobbed toward the organization.
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Storen sent to AAA, Clippard lashes out

USA Today Sports Images

Drew Storen's roller-coaster season, which bottomed out Friday afternoon during a disastrous ninth-inning performance, will now transfer from the big-league mound in Washington to the minor-league stage in Syracuse, a not-unsurprising move that reverberated through the Nationals clubhouse and prompted a critical response toward the organization from one of his fellow relievers.

Storen was optioned to Class AAA following Friday night's game, a move the Nationals needed to make to clear spot on the big-league roster for reliever Ryan Mattheus, who came off the disabled list earlier in the day.

"This is what's best for him," manager Davey Johnson said. "He'll probably have a hard time coming to grips with that. But it is the best thing for him."

An elite closer in 2011 who saved 43 games for a Nationals club that won only 80 for the season, Storen missed the first half of 2012 after undergoing surgery to remove a bone spur in his elbow but pitched effectively down the stretch to re-earn the closer's job heading into the postseason.

Instant analysis: Nats 2, Mets 1

Associated Press

Game in a nutshell: Only two hours after suffering one of their worst losses of the season — an 11-0 trouncing — the Nationals re-took the field for the nightcap of this doubleheader, facing a stiff challenge with ace Matt Harvey on the mound for the Mets. Ross Ohlendorf, however, was up to the challenge. The journeyman right-hander was brilliant in this spot start, allowing one run over seven innings to give his team a chance. The Nationals hardly did anything against Harvey — their lone run came via a fifth-inning error — but they managed to keep this a 1-1 game into the ninth. Rafael Soriano wriggled his way out of a first-and-third, one-out jam in the top of the inning, setting the stage for a potential walk-off win. Which they got, from an old friend. Ryan Zimmerman launched a 3-1 pitch from LaTroy Hawkins deep to right-center for his ninth career walk-off homer, his first since 2011, giving the Nationals a much-needed and dramatic victory.

Hitting highlight: Stymied all night by Harvey, the Nationals couldn't wait to get the young ace out of the game and get into the Mets' bullpen. They finally got the chance in the ninth and made it worthwhile. After Anthony Rendon grounded out, Zimmerman worked the count to 3-1 against Hawkins. He then drove the veteran reliever's next pitch over the wall in right-center for a long-awaited, walk-off homer. It was Zimmerman's ninth of his career, but his first since 2011. It couldn't have come at a better time, salvaging a long day of baseball for the Nationals.

Game 104: Mets at Nats

Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

As if this afternoon's 11-0 thrashing at the hands of the Mets wasn't bad enough, now the Nationals have to come right back out and try to get back on track against All-Star Game starter Matt Harvey. With Bryce Harper out of the lineup.

Yep, Harper is sitting this one out after aggravating his left knee diving for Daniel Murphy's liner in the fifth inning of Game 1, according to Davey Johnson. He stayed in the game until the eighth, at which point he was replaced by pinch-runner Scott Hairston. So Steve Lombardozzi, who has five hits over the last 24 hours, gets the start in left field.

Ross Ohlendorf makes the spot start for the Nationals, perhaps an audition to see if he could join the rotation on a permanent basis with Taylor Jordan perhaps headed back to the minors in advance of his post-Tommy John shutdown. The veteran righty will have to be in top form tonight.

After a debacle like that first game, do the Nats even want to get back out on the field? "Yeah," Johnson said. "I'm actually glad we got another one tonight." We'll see how this plays out.

Updates to come...

NEW YORK METS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS (Game 2)
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 183
Weather: Mostly clear, 81 degrees, Wind 5 mph out to CF

NATIONALS (49-54)
CF Denard Span
2B Anthony Rendon
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche

Instant analysis: Mets 11, Nats 0

USA Today Sports Images

Game in a nutshell: Hours after an inspiring, walk-off victory, the Nationals opened a day-night doubleheader against the Mets and put forth one of their worst efforts of the season. Jordan Zimmermann labored during 6 2/3 innings, serving up a pair of early homers to Daniel Murphy. The Nationals lineup was completely shut down by Jenrry Mejia, making his first big-league start of the season. And then things really got ugly in the top of the ninth. Ryan Mattheus, making his first appearance since breaking his hand more than two months ago, was charged with three runs. Drew Storen, battling the flu, then gave up three runs on four pitches, including a two-run homer to Ike Davis. The Nats were blown out before an increasingly hostile crowd and now have to take the field again in two hours to face New York ace Matt Harvey. A loss tonight would leave the Nationals and Mets tied for third/fourth place in the NL East.

Hitting lowlight: Facing a guy making his first big-league start of the season and only the seventh big-league start of his career, the Nationals put forth another feeble performance at the plate. They

Mattheus back on active roster

USA Today Sports Images

Major-league clubs are allowed to add an extra, 26th man for doubleheaders, and the Nationals couldn't have asked for better timing in that regard today, with Ryan Mattheus ready to return from a broken right hand.

Mattheus, on the 15-day disabled list since he broke that hand punching his locker May 19 in San Diego, was officially activated before the first game of today's day-night doubleheader against the Mets. He's available to pitch in both games, and manager Davey Johnson plans to use him if the situation arises.

"It was a long time off," Mattheus said. "It's tough to sit back and watch the games from that perspective. It's just great to know that I can go out there and contribute today. So yeah, it's an amazing feeling being back."

The right-hander was understandably embarrassed by the nature of his injury, and he had to spend the last two months watching the Nationals struggle as penance for his mistake.

"The nature of my injury — knowing that it was self-inflicted — and then seeing the struggles that this team's going through, it's tough to deal with. But hopefully I'll be back and contribute and we can turn this thing around."
Read more

Game 103: Mets at Nats

Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

It's a beautiful day for a ballgame, so how 'bout we play two? We've got a day-night doubleheader here between the Nationals and Mets, and the various results could actually be significant. The Nats currently lead New York by only two games in the NL East, so a Mets sweep incredibly would leave the two clubs tied in the standings. A Nationals sweep, on the other hand, would guarantee they'd be back in sole possession of second place in the division.

Jordan Zimmermann gets the start in Game 1 this afternoon against right-hander Jenrry Mejia, making his season debut after dealing with an elbow injury. Davey Johnson is going with his same lineup from yesterday's win, including Steve Lombardozzi at second base and batting second. "I'm not changing a winning hand," the manager said, also speculating that Lombardozzi might try to beat him up if he wasn't playing after a 3-hit performance.

Ryan Mattheus, meanwhile, has been activated off the DL as the 26th man allowed for the doubleheader. The Nats will have to make a decision tonight, removing someone from the roster. They could just send Mattheus back to Syracuse, or they could demote another reliever. Drew Storen, a potential candidate for demotion, is battling the same flu Adam LaRoche had earlier in the week and probably is unavailable to pitch in either game today, according to Johnson.

Lots of updates to come from a long day at the ballpark, so please check back...

NEW YORK METS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS (Game 1)
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 183
Weather: Mostly sunny, 80 degrees, Wind 4 mph in from LF

NATIONALS (49-53)
LF Bryce Harper
2B Steve Lombardozzi
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche

Detwiler's diagnosis; Davey on Storen

Photo by USA Today

Nationals left-hander Ross Detwiler is back from his meeting with back specialist Robert Watkins - a trip out to the doctor’s clinic in Los Angeles on Wednesday – and is now recovering from what was diagnosed as a herniated disc.

Watkins told Detwiler he does not need surgery and did not administer any shots during their appointment. If all goes well over the next few weeks while he rests the injury, he should be able to return in early September.

“They say he’s the best back guy in the world, so that’s why I went out there,” Detwiler said. “I didn’t really know what to expect and he kind of talked me through it and I don’t have to have surgery so that’s the number one thing right now.” 

Detwiler - who hasn’t pitched since July 3 – said he will do core exercises in the meantime while he rests his back. He won’t be able to throw for a while, but wants to heal the right way this time and not rush his way back. Trying to power through the pain may have slowed down his recovery in the first place.

Harper's walkoff HR powers Nats to win

Photo by USA Today

The Nationals knew at some point they would break their six-game losing streak and finally get a win after the All-Star break. But in their wildest dreams, they probably didn’t picture it would happen like this.

Two manager ejections, three Pirates errors in the first inning, a four-run lead blown in the ninth, the First Lady in attendance, and Bryce Harper’s first career walkoff home run is all it took for the Nats to finally get back into the win column. 

Now at 49-53 on the season, the Nationals can’t take too much from what amounts to just one victory, they’re still eight games out of the division lead and have plenty of work to do to catch up. They do acknowledge, however, the feeling of a win is a nice change of pace for the first time in 11 days. 

Bench coach Randy Knorr - who replaced Davey Johnson as manager after his ejection in the fifth inning – couldn’t overstate the dramatic turn of emotions in the ninth inning of the Nats’ 9-7 win over the Pirates.

“To tell you how it feels, just walking into the clubhouse right now, you’d think we won the World Series or something,” he said. “But that’s the way the game is right now. And hopefully this carries over for us. I think we’re going to get on a roll here. I think it was a big game for us.”

Instant Analysis: Nats 9, Pirates 7

Photo by USA Today

Game in a nutshell: After entering the ninth inning up 7-3, Rafael Soriano and Ian Krol combined to blow the lead. But Bryce Harper then hit a walkoff homer - the first of his career - in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win. The Nats had jumped out early with four runs in the first inning, more than they had notched in eight of their previous ten games. They were assisted by some sloppy defense on behalf of the Pirates as you'll read in the hitting highlight, but nonetheless an ideal start for the struggling Nationals. Gio Gonzalez was not as sharp as he's usually been lately, but was able to give the Nats 5 2/3 innings of three-run ball. He needed 119 pitches on the day after walking four and striking out 11, still keeping the Pirates to three runs. Craig Stammen took over for Gonzalez and pitched 1 1/3 innings to bring the Nats to the eighth when Tyler Clippard took over. Clippard was solid with his 13th consecutive scoreless inning, preserving the one-run lead. The Nats then got three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, two on a triple by Adam LaRoche with two outs. But Rafael Soriano allowed two runs in the top of the ninth before being replaced by Ian Krol who allowed two more to tie the game at 7-7.

Hitting highlight: The first inning was good times for the Nats on offense, both on their own accord and with a little help from the Pirates' defense. Pittsburgh committed three errors and let in four total runs, only one of them charged to pitcher A.J. Burnett. The first came on an error by Pedro Alvarez at third who couldn't reel in a throw to him during a rundown, Bryce Harper came around to score on that one. The second costly error came on a Denard Span single that saw Ryan Zimmerman and Ian Desmond both score after a throw attempt to second by Gaby Sanchez found its way into the outfield.

Game 102: Pirates at Nats

Photo by USA Today

It's been ten days since the 2013 All-Star game and the Nationals are still looking for their first win in the season's second half. Last night we saw them lose their sixth straight game, failing to get any sort of offense going against lefty Francisco Liriano. 

If Liriano was trouble, they may have an even tougher time this afternoon against A.J. Burnett. Burnett has been excellent this season at the age of 36, holding a 3.07 ERA through 17 starts. Back in May he held the Nats to one earned run through seven innings and struck out nine.

The Nationals will have Gio Gonzalez (7-3, 2.89) on the mound who's had a pretty good season himself. Gonzalez also has a win against the Pirates this season, throwing six innings of two-run ball on May 5.

The real question will of course be whether the Nationals can score some runs today, as they have scored more than three runs just twice in their last ten games. They have, however, given Gio solid run support for the most part in his recent starts. Five of Gonzalez' last six outings have seen the Nats score five or more runs, each time taking the win when they hit that mark. Gio has also recorded quality starts in all nine of his outings since the month of May.

Updates to come...

PITTSBURGH PIRATES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 12:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 869
Weather: Partly cloudy, 83 degrees, Wind 14 mph out to CF

NATIONALS (48-53)
LF Bryce Harper
2B Steve Lombardozzi
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche
RF Jayson Werth
SS Ian Desmond
CF Denard Span
C Kurt Suzuki
LHP Gio Gonzalez

Downward spiral continues

Associated Press

The continued devolution of the Nationals nearly reached epic proportions Wednesday night when they entered the bottom of the sixth inning against Francisco Liriano without having recorded a base hit.

In the end, the events of the ninth inning in a 4-2 loss to the Pirates might actually have proved more painful than a no-hitter.

After squandering Stephen Strasburg's best start of the season and watching as relievers Drew Storen and Fernando Abad turned a 1-run deficit into a 4-run chasm in the top of the ninth, the Nationals nearly stormed all the way back in the bottom of the inning, only to see the game end on a blown call by umpire Laz Diaz.

"It's no secret that the ball definitely isn't bouncing our way," said Denard Span, who hit the groundball that resulted in the controversial, game-ending double play. "That wasn't the story of the game tonight, but anything could've happened if that play isn't called there."

Who knows what would have happened had Diaz correctly seen Wilson Ramos elude second baseman Neil Walker's tag on the final play of the game? The Nationals still would have trailed by two runs, with one out and two men on base. But it was a fittingly bitter way for this club's sixth straight loss to go in the books.

"Not even close. He never tagged me," Ramos said. "He told me: 'He tagged you. I didn't hear, but I saw it.' I said: 'Sure, you didn't see anything. Not even close.' But I don't know, maybe he wanted to go home."
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Detwiler out another month

USA Today Sports Images

The Nationals are going to be without Ross Detwiler for quite a bit longer.

An examination with a Los Angeles specialist on Wednesday revealed a problem with a disc in the left-hander's lower back, causing a pinched nerve. Detwiler received an injection and will miss another month, according to manager Davey Johnson.

"It's causing the pinching in the nerve which is causing that to spasm," Johnson said. "I think the procedure is to give him an injection. But he's got to rest it."

Detwiler has already been out since July 4 with what was originally termed a lower back strain by the Nationals. Several attempts to throw off a bullpen mound since have resulted in continued discomfort, so the club sent the pitcher to Southern California to be examined by specialist Robert Watkins.

Instant analysis: Pirates 4, Nats 2

Associated Press

Game in a nutshell: You had to figure runs would come at a premium tonight, with a perfect storm of events coming together. Stephen Strasburg on the mound for the Nationals. Francisco Liriano starting for the Pirates, a tough lefty against a lineup that struggles against lefties. And Bryce Harper and Ian Desmond out of the lineup to rest some nagging bumps and bruises. Sure enough, both starting pitchers absolutely dominated. Strasburg was brilliant for eight innings, allowing only Pedro Alvarez's second-inning homer while striking out a season-high 12 batters. But once again, the Nationals offered him no run support and left him in line to take the loss. Liriano carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, finally surrendering an infield single to Anthony Rendon. The Nats remained in the game, though, because of Strasburg's dominance and trailed 1-0 when the ninth inning arrived. Drew Storen and Fernando Abad, though, combined to give up three runs in the inning, though, and suddenly that 1-run deficit became a 4-run deficit. Which proved really costly after Jayson Werth crushed a two-run homer, his fifth in four days. Alas, the Nationals still needed two more runs, which they didn't get. So, the losing streak is now at six games, with the Nats having dropped 11 of their last 13 to fall to five games below the .500 mark.

Hitting lowlight: Liriano is having an outstanding season, there's no question about that. But it's hard to really judge opposing

Harper, Desmond get rare night off

Bryce Harper and Ian Desmond each were out of the Nationals' lineup Wednesday night, each starter given a chance to take a breath and let some nagging, minor injuries heal.

Manager Davey Johnson said Harper was getting some treatment on his left knee, though the 20-year-old outfielder hasn't been significantly bothered by the injury that landed him on the disabled list for a month earlier this season. Desmond, meanwhile, has a blister on his left hand that broke open late during Tuesday night's game.

Harper had started all 19 games since returning from the DL on July 1. Though his production (a .214 batting average, one homer, six RBI, .658 OPS) hasn't come close to mirroring his early-season numbers, he insisted his knee hasn't been a factor.

"It's been fine," Harper said. "It's felt good. There hasn't been any major swelling or anything like that. Of course you're going to have a little bit here and there, but every day it's feeling better. Hopefully it's all behind me."
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Game 101: Pirates at Nats

Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Davey Johnson hasn't been given his regulars very many days off lately, certainly not with the Nationals struggling so mightily to score runs. But there's no question a few guys could probably use a breather, so tonight two of the biggest names from the lineup are sitting: Bryce Harper and Ian Desmond.

We'll find out Davey's reasoning in each case. It's not all that surprising to see Harper get a day off against a tough left-hander in Francisco Liriano. But it is surprising to see Desmond sitting against this pitcher. Again, we'll see what the reason is in each case.

The benching of those two leads to some other changes, most notably Anthony Rendon sliding over to shortstop for his first career start at that position. Steve Lombardozzi will be at second base. Scott Hairston, meanwhile will be leading off and playing left field.

Oh yeah, and Stephen Strasburg is on the mound, trying to stop this five-game losing streak. Updates to come, so please check back...

PITTSBURGH PIRATES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 186
Weather: Partly cloudy, 81 degrees, Wind 10 mph in from LF

NATIONALS (48-52)
LF Scott Hairston
SS Anthony Rendon
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Jayson Werth

Nats who's hot/who's not - 7/24

Photo by USA Today

By Michael Huberman

CSNwashington.com

Record: 0-5

Team slash: .212/.266/.345

Team ERA: 4.89

Runs per game: 2.2

Opponent runs per game: 5.2

Opponent slash: .280/.333/.451

HOT:

Jayson Werth, OF – 5-17/4 HR/6 RBI/.400 OBP/1.000 SLG

After homering twice in the Nationals’ 9-2 loss to the Dodgers on Sunday, Werth added two more, a pair of two-run shots, Monday night against the Pirates. Werth’s been the team’s best hitter in July, posting a slash of .369/.449/.667, with at least one hit in 14 of 19 games played. Now if only his teammates could come around and join him.

Gio Gonzalez, SP – 0-0/0.00/6 IP/2 H/11 SO

Since allowing five earned runs in four innings of work against Atlanta on April 30, Gonzalez has submitted quality starts in 13 of 14 appearances, with 89 strikeouts to 31 walks. After that April 30 start, Gonzalez was 2-2 with a 5.34 ERA, but when he starts Thursday against the Pirates he’ll be 7-3 with a sterling 2.89 ERA.

Free-falling

Associated Press

The Nationals want to believe this will turn around, they really do. They want to believe they've been the victim of bad luck, so much bad luck that the cosmos are bound to repay them one of these days.

"I think at some point, the tide's got to turn," Jayson Werth said. "The luck's got to swing in our favor. And hopefully when it does, we can grab hold of it and run with it."

That may or may not be true, but the following statements absolutely are true in the wake of Tuesday night's 5-1 loss to the Pirates:

— The Nationals have lost five straight games and 10 of 12.

— The Nationals are four games under .500, their lowest point since September 2011.

— The Nationals, at this moment, have more losses this season (52) than the Royals and Angels, the same number of losses as the Mets and Mariners and only one fewer loss than the Cubs.
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Instant analysis: Pirates 5, Nats 1

USA Today Sports Images

Game in a nutshell: Another night, another dismal performance from a Nationals club that is this close to veering off the train tracks for good. Taylor Jordan pitched well in his fifth career start but was the latest victim of sloppy defense behind him. Not that it would have mattered had Jordan pitched a gem. The Nats couldn't muster anything against rookie Gerrit Cole or the Pirates bullpen, totaling three hits for the night. Wilson Ramos' third-inning homer was the lone bright spot, and not nearly enough to snap this foundering lineup out of its season-long slump. Losers of five straight and 10 of 12 now, the Nationals are four games under the .500 mark and sinking fast.

Hitting lowlight: Rick Schu hasn't seen the Nationals much this season because he's been busy coaching minor leaguers. What the

Schu joins Nats, ready to get started

Photo by USA Today

New hitting coach Rick Schu has joined the Nationals after catching a flight on Monday evening, ready to help in any way he can as Washington hosts the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second game of their four-game series on Tuesday.

Schu said he got the call from the Nats in the middle of a doubleheader in Jupiter, Fla., while he was coaching in the Gulf Coast League. As a minor league hitting instructor for the team the past four seasons, he is familiar with many of the players, but admits he hasn’t watched much of the 48-51 Nationals this season.

Schu arrived at Nationals Park to meet with manager Davey Johnson Tuesday morning to go over what the team expects from his role over the season's final 63 games. He hopes to bring a fresh take to the Nats’ clubhouse and get them back to basics on offense.

“I like doing the little things and staying aggressive,” he said. “Hunt strikes, controlling the zone, swinging and strikes, staying aggressive on the heater, doing the little things. Moving the runners, getting a runner in from third, putting the ball in play with two strikes. It's very important and if it's important for us it becomes important to the players.”

Schu has worked with many of the younger Nationals players such as Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon, those who have been in the minor leagues recently. He also knows veterans like Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos from rehab appearances this season and over the years.

Read more >>

Detwiler to see back specialist

Photo by USA Today

Continuing to experience setbacks involving his lower back strain, Nationals starter Ross Detwiler will now see back specialist Dr. Robert Watkins on Wednesday in Los Angeles for further testing and a second opinion.

Detwiler has been on the disabled list since July 4 and felt pain in his back after throwing a bullpen session over the weekend. Manager Davey Johnson said the discomfort was so bad he couldn’t even jog while warming up for the workout.

“They’re not sure why it keeps reoccurring,” Johnson said. “They’ve done a lot of tests. I think they want to get another opinion.”

Johnson acknowledged Detwiler could be out for longer than first expected, perhaps an extended absence after already missing three weeks. Detwiler - 2-7 with a 4.04 ERA this year - also missed a month earlier this season with a strained oblique.

“It’s a problem,” he said. “That’s what we’re looking at. Also, Taylor Jordan’s going to be on an innings limit. So we’re thinking about all those things and how to go forward.”

Read more >>

Game 100: Pirates at Nats

Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

New hitting coach Rick Schu will be on hand for his first game as a member of the Nationals coaching staff as the Nats take on the Pirates Tuesday night. We'll see what help, if any, he can provide for a Washington team coming off four straight losses to begin the season's second half, including a tough one-run defeat on Monday.

The Nats will try to get things going at the plate against one of the most talented young arms in the game. Former 2011 first overall pick Gerrit Cole (4-3, 3.89 ERA) will take the ball for Pittsburgh, providing an intriguing matchup between he and the 2010 first overall selection in Bryce Harper. Cole was also selected ahead of Anthony Rendon in 2011, another player considered at the time to be in the mix for the first pick.

Cole will be making his eighth major league start while fellow rookie Taylor Jordan (0-2, 3.32) is making his fifth career start for Washington. The Nationals are continuing with Harper in the leadoff spot and Span back in the seven hole.

Updates to come...

PITTSBURGH PIRATES at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 188
Weather: Mostly clear, 83 degrees, Wind 12 mph LF to RF

NATIONALS (48-51)
LF Bryce Harper
2B Anthony Rendon
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Adam LaRoche