Game 98: Dodgers at Nats

Photo by USA Today

Fresh off two losses to begin the season's second half, matters won't get any easier for the Nationals with Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw (8-6, 1.98 ERA) on the mound. He takes the ball for the Dodgers who will go up against Jordan Zimmermann (12-4, 2.58), making for a pretty decent pitching matchup on Sunday afternoon.

Kershaw is 4-2 with a 3.27 ERA against the Nationals in his career. In three starts at Nationals Park, however, the lefty has struggled with seven earned runs in 10 1/3 innings.

Adam LaRoche is back in Washington's lineup, giving Davey Johnson a chance to shake things up. He has Bryce Harper playing center field and batting leadoff, with Scott Hairston in left and batting seventh. This is only the second game this season Harper has been the Nats' starting center fielder and the second time he has batted first.

Matt Kemp returns to center for the Dodgers after missing time with irritation in the A/C joint of his left shoulder. Today is the first time this season that Kemp, Hanley Ramirez and Carl Crawford are all in the Dodgers' lineup at the same time.

Updates to come...

LOS ANGELES DODGERS at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 1:35 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, Ch. 9, TBS, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 89
Weather: Isolated storms (50% chance of rain), 89 degrees

NATIONALS (48-49)
CF Bryce Harper
2B Anthony Rendon
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Jayson Werth

1B Adam LaRoche
SS Ian Desmond
LF Scott Hairston
C Kurt Suzuki
RHP Jordan Zimmermann

DODGERS (49-47)
LF Carl Crawford
3B Nick Punto
1B Adrian Gonzalez
SS Hanley Ramirez
RF Andre Ethier
CF Matt Kemp
C A.J. Ellis
2B Mark Ellis
LHP Clayton Kershaw

UMPIRES
HP Paul Schrieber
1B Chad Fairchild
2B Jeff Kellogg (cc)
3B Eric Cooper

1:48 p.m. -- The Dodgers got two men on in the top of the first, but failed to cash in after Ethier lined out to Desmond for the third out. Punto singled to left field with one out and Gonzalez followed with a single to right. Zimmermann then got Ramirez to line out to left field before retiring Ethier. Jordan is at 18 pitches (13 strikes) after one.

1:57 p.m. -- The new-look Nats order was no problem for Kershaw in the bottom of the first, getting Harper to strike out swinging and Rendon to go down looking at a 94 mph fastball. Zimmerman then quickly lined out to left field to move us on to the second inning. 14 pitches for Kershaw.

2:20 p.m. -- What started as a potential duel between All-Star pitchers has quickly turned into a disaster. The Dodgers pounded Zimmermann for seven runs all in the second, including two home runs and two RBI hits by Matt Kemp. Kemp started the inning off with a solo home run to left field. Ramirez then hit a three-run shot to the bullpen in left. Also along the way were RBI singles by Crawford and Kemp, plus an groundout fielder's choice by Kershaw to bring in a run. Ross Ohlendorf is now warming in the bullpen.

2:28 p.m. -- The Nats got a run in the second and ended the no-hitter in the process as Jayson Werth knocked a solo homer to left field with no outs. They were then set down quickly as LaRoche and Hairston struck out, and Desmond grounded out to the pitcher. Kershaw is at 29 pitches (20 strikes).

2:35 p.m. -- Ohlendorf took over in the top of the third, getting out of the inning unscathed. He got Ellis to line out and Kershaw to strike out swinging to get the first two outs. Crawford then hit a double off the wall in right field and was thrown at third trying to stretch it one more base. Werth made a nice throw to Rendon who flipped around and fired a perfect ball to Zimmerman who made the tag. 7-1 Dodgers as Kershaw heads back out.

2:42 p.m. -- A 1-2-3 inning for Kershaw in the third, getting Suzuki and Harper to ground out to Ramirez at short and striking out Ohlendorf on just three pitches. The former Cy Young winner is through three with 42 pitches (29 strikes).

3:00 p.m. -- L.A. added two more runs in the top of the fourth to make it a 9-1 ballgame. Gonzalez scored from third on a groundout by Ethier and Kemp struck again with an RBI single to plate Ramirez. Ohlendorf has thrown 34 pitches through two innings of work with two earned runs on four hits.

3:03 p.m. -- Five pitches later for Kershaw and we're on to the fifth inning. He got Rendon to ground out, Zimmerman to pop out and Werth to fly out to deep right field. Kershaw is at 47 total on the day through four innings.

3:11 p.m. -- No runs for the Dodgers in the fifth, but they did record their 13th hit of the day on a Mark Ellis single. Crawford also walked to get on. Ohlendorf was able to hold them at first and second, however, and has now thrown 48 pitches (32 strikes).

3:23 p.m. -- Without actually getting a hit, the Nats got a man in scoring position in the fifth after LaRoche reached first on an error by Ramirez at short. LaRoche then moved to second on a wild pitch, but that's as far as he would go. Desmond, Hairston and Suzuki were all retired to get Kershaw out of the inning. He's thrown 62 pitches as we move to the sixth.

3:32 p.m. -- Finally a quiet inning for the Dodgers who are set down in order by Ohlendorf. Kemp was the third out, hitting a long fly ball to left field that Hairston pulled in. Ohlendorf is at 59 pitches.

3:46 p.m. -- Ohlendorf retired the side in order in the top of the seventh and is now at 71 pitches on the day in this 9-1 game. Rain is starting to fall with reports of heavy precipitation in the area. Kershaw is heading out to the mound, but we'll see if the rain gets worse.

3:57 p.m. -- The rain held up for another frame as Jayson Werth hit his second solo home run of the day. He's the only Nats player to record a hit today and both of them have been homers. Kershaw has otherwise been mowing through the Washington lineup and has 97 pitches through seven.

4:05 p.m. -- Ohlendorf allowed a leadoff single to Crawford before retiring the next three batters to quickly get out of the inning. He has now tossed six with six hits and two earned runs allowed. If Zimmermann's outing wasn't so terrible, the Nats would still be in this thing.

4:15 p.m. -- Suzuki added a single in the bottom of the eighth, just the third hit of the day for the Nats. They couldn't do anything with it at all as Harper struck out to end the inning. It was his third K of the day and afterwards he tossed his bat and spiked his helmet on the ground. Still 9-2 Dodgers as Fernando Abad takes over for Washington.

4:30 p.m. -- Abad made things interesting in the top of the ninth, loading the bases with a pair of walks and a single to Mark Ellis. One of the walks was to relief pitcher Brandon League which kind of sums up this day for the Nats. Still 9-2 with the bottom of the ninth up next.

4:40 p.m. -- The Nats got two men on in the bottom of the ninth before Ian Desmond struck out to end the game. 9-2 is your final score as the Nationals are swept in their first series out of the All-Star break.