IBB to Harper proves costly for White Sox

Photo by USA Today

By Michael Huberman

CSNwashington.com

Sometimes one pitch makes all the difference between winning and losing. For Robin Ventura and his starting pitcher Dylan Axelrod, one pitch in the fourth inning was the beginning of the end for the White Sox Thursday night against the Nationals.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, with the game tied at three and Bryce Harper at the plate, Axelrod uncorked a wild pitch. Nationals’ starter Dan Haren, who had doubled to deep right, easily scampered home to put the Nationals up 4-3 while Jayson Werth took second base.

White Sox manager Robin Ventura immediately came out to protest, claiming Axelrod’s pitch had hit Bryce Harper in the foot. For Axelrod, it was tough to tell if his pitch had hit Harper.

“It was hard for me to tell from my angle,” he said. “The ball bounced kind of funny, that’s why we thought it might have hit him. It was hard to tell, nobody really knew for sure.”  

Haren gets win as Nats sweep White Sox

Photo by USA Today

Nationals starter Dan Haren may not have looked much sharper in his second start with the team than he did in his first, but the result was certainly better. The 11-year veteran took the victory in the Nats’ 7-4 win over the Chicago White Sox despite throwing 101 pitches through five innings and allowing three earned runs off ten hits. It wasn’t pretty, but he got the job done.

“Today I took a few steps forward,” Haren said. “I think I threw the ball better than maybe the line score would dictate, but the conditions weren’t great out there. The most important thing is that we won the game. Obviously I did a little better than last time, but I still haven’t been at my best yet.”

Haren fared better than his woeful six-earned run outing in Cincinnati last weekend, but he was nowhere near his best in front of the 24,785 fans at Nationals Park on Thursday night. Haren’s ten hits allowed made him the first Washington pitcher since the Senators’ Casey Cox in 1970 to give up at least nine in their first two games of the season.

Haren began the first inning on a good note with a 19 pitch scoreless frame.  He gave up a run in the second on a Tyler Flowers sacrifice fly and then two in the fourth inning off back-to-back RBI singles. Haren didn’t allow any home runs this time, he just wasn’t hitting his spots.

Game 9: White Sox at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Dan Haren makes his first home start at Nationals Park tonight.

First impressions are important, and Dan Haren's first impression as a member of the Nationals rotation was not a good one. The veteran right-hander was torched for six runs in four innings Friday night in Cincinnati, serving up four homers in the process. Not the way he wanted to begin his Nats career.

Tonight, Haren gets a second chance to make a first impression, this time in his home debut (not to mention a much friendlier ballpark). Not that a start on April 10 is going to have much bearing on the future, but the last thing Haren wants right now is to raise even more questions about his status and whether the Nats made a mistake at all handing him $13 million over the winter.

The Nationals' lineup, which has been red-hot since returning home earlier this week, should provide some support for Haren. That group will go up against Dylan Axelrod, a 27-year-old right-hander making his 12th career start.

I'll have early-game updates here, but then I have to head to Bethesda for tonight's live episode of "The Baseball Show" at 11 p.m., so Chase Hughes will be taking over mid-game...

CHICAGO WHITE SOX at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), XM 183
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 75 degrees, Wind 14 mph RF to LF

NATIONALS (6-2)
CF Denard Span
RF Jayson Werth
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman

Delayed start only delays another win

USA Today Sports Images

Danny Espinosa delivered a pair of RBI singles in the Nationals' win.

Players from both clubs were on the field stretching and preparing for what everyone expected to be a 7:05 p.m. first pitch on South Capitol Street. Fans were taking their seats, though upon closer inspection it appeared to be a late-arriving crowd.

And then came an unusual and surprising message on the giant scoreboard in right-center field: The start of the Nationals' game against the White Sox would be delayed for 15 minutes.

Why? Not because of any bad weather, or the mere threat of bad weather. But because the umpiring crew had gotten caught in traffic and couldn't get to Nationals Park in time to prepare themselves for Jordan Zimmermann's scheduled first pitch.

Good thing most Nationals players have spent enough time in this town to sympathize with the crew's calamity.

"I've been stuck in traffic many a time here in D.C.," shortstop Ian Desmond said. "I'm surprised they got here as fast as they did. It's always an adventure."

The umps finally emerged in time for a 7:21 p.m. first pitch, but plenty of fans were still filing into their seats as the game's first few innings progressed. Fortunately for them, the Nationals saved their best for later in the evening.

Shut down early by White Sox right-hander Gavin Floyd, the Nationals' lineup finally exploded during the game's middle innings, scoring all of their runs between the fourth and sixth frames en route to a 5-2 victory.
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Instant analysis: Nats 5, White Sox 2

USA Today Sports Images

Ian Desmond had two doubles and a triple to pace the Nationals' lineup.

Game in a nutshell: The umpires -- and plenty of fans -- were late arriving at the ballpark thanks to bad traffic, but don't worry. They got there in time to see the mid-game fireworks display from the Nationals' lineup. Bryce Harper launched his fourth homer of the season to lead off the bottom of the fourth, igniting an offense that would go on score five times between the fourth and sixth innings. Jordan Zimmermann gave up one early run and another late but was otherwise effective and efficient during a seven-inning, quality start. Drew Storen and Rafael Soriano then closed out a comfortable victory, not giving the White Sox a sniff of a comeback they way they did last night.

Hitting highlight: Stymied through the first couple of innings by Gavin Floyd, the Nationals started to make a dent in the Chicago

Game 8: White Sox at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Jordan Zimmermann faces the White Sox on a surprisingly hot evening in D.C.

If it's true that the ball starts flying out of Nationals Park once the weather heats up, don't be surprised to see more of the same tonight when the Nats and White Sox meet in Game 2 of their interleague series. These two teams combined for six home runs last night, with the Nationals hanging on for dear life in the end to win, 8-7. And it's going to be even warmer tonight, with the current temperature a blistering 90 degrees, dropping down to 83 at first pitch.

The Nationals will hope whatever longballs they hit come with some men on base, and the guy who's been on more than anybody else is Denard Span. After going 2-for-3 with a walk last night, the new leadoff man has raised his season OBP to a hefty .500. Yes, Michael Morse has six homers already for the Mariners, but Span has been exactly what the Nats wanted and needed him to be so far, so you aren't hearing anyone in the organization complain about that trade-off.

Jordan Zimmermann gets the start against Maryland's own Gavin Floyd. And old pal Adam Dunn is starting in left field tonight for the Sox, his first appearance here since signing with Chicago after the 2010 season. Should get a nice ovation from the crowd.

Updates to come, so please check back...

CHICAGO WHITE SOX at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), XM 184
Weather: Partly cloudy, 83 degrees, Wind 9 mph out to CF

NATIONALS (5-2)
CF Denard Span
RF Jayson Werth
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman

Gio has long day in Nats' win

Photo by USA Today

After beginning Tuesday’s game with two called strikes and a strikeout on the White Sox’s first batter Alejandro De Aza, somehow Gio Gonzalez’ day quickly turned into a near disaster. He allowed the next three batters to reach base, balked in a run, and finished with 33 pitches in the first inning alone. Somewhere along the way he lost his command and lost it bad.

Gonzalez was happy with his velocity and stuff, he chalked it up more so to simply still finding his way in just his second start of the year. He mentioned six days rest as a factor as well.

“I’m still trying to get my arm where it needs to be,” he said. “Still a little kinks that I want to work on, especially attacking the strike zone and trying to get the first batter of every inning out. That’s things that I gotta work on and make sure to pound the strike zone.”

About that balk: Gonzalez let up the first run of the game by simply stepping off the mound with the wrong foot. With the bases loaded against Alexei Ramirez, Gio missed badly on the first three pitches to set up 3-0. He then battled back to force a full count before stepping back with his right foot, something home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi noticed right away.

Werth, LaRoche power Nats to victory

Associated Press

Denard Span congratulates Jayson Werth following his two-run homer.

If the Nationals had any concerns about Jayson Werth's ability to regain his power stroke following last season's wrist surgery, the veteran right fielder certainly has put those to rest over the last week.

And if anyone had any concern about Adam LaRoche's ability to avoid his penchant for slow starts -- not to mention overcome a bad back -- the veteran first baseman emphatically put that to rest during a 30-minute stretch Tuesday night.

Combining for three home runs between the sixth and eighth innings, Werth and LaRoche answered questions about their personal offensive performances while also pacing the Nationals' potent lineup to an 8-7 victory over the White Sox in which every single run that crossed the plate proved necessary.

On a night in which Gio Gonzalez piled up pitches early, balked in a run and was forced out of the game after only five innings, and on a night in which Tyler Clippard and Rafael Soriano each served up late home runs to bring Chicago within striking distance, the Nationals needed their lineup to carry the load. They wound up getting production from nearly every starter, pounding out 13 hits, four of them homers.
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Instant analysis: Nats 8, White Sox 7

Associated Press

Gio Gonzalez is out trying to stretch a single into a double.

Game in a nutshell: Returning home from a rough weekend in Cincinnati, the Nationals faced an odd matchup: an interleague series in early April. The two teams wound up playing more of an AL style game, with the ball flying out of Nationals Park on a warm, 81-degree evening. Gio Gonzalez battled his way through five innings, piling up pitches but holding the White Sox to only one run. His teammates then took care of the run support. Ian Desmond homered in the sixth. Jayson Werth and Adam LaRoche each launched two-run homers in the sixth. LaRoche (who had been 0-for-15 on the season) then went deep again in the eighth, providing some much-needed insurance. Turns out they needed it, because Rafael Soriano served up a two-run homer to Alex Rios with two outs in the ninth, trimming the lead to one, before he closed this one out and improved the Nationals to 5-2.

Hitting highlight: Questions abounded for both Werth and LaRoche. Is Werth's surgically repaired wrist fully healed, and will he ever be able to hit for power again? And what's up with

Dunn talks return to Washington

Photo by USA Today

Returning to Nationals Park for the first time since signing a free agent deal with the Chicago White Sox in 2010, former Nats first baseman Adam Dunn quickly felt back at home on Tuesday. There were familiar faces between players and stadium staff, all of whom Dunn remembers fondly. But this time Dunn headed to the other locker room, the visiting clubhouse. He called it strange, but said it “comes with the territory.”

Dunn isn’t set to start in Tuesday’s series opener, as manager Robin Ventura has catered the lineup towards lefty Gio Gonzalez. So Dunn gets to sit back and take in the experience. Whether he gets in the game as a pinch hitter, or has to wait until Wednesday with Jordan Zimmermann on the mound, Dunn is looking forward to it.

“It’s going to be fun. I loved my time here,” he said. “Obviously I still have some really good friends on the team and it will be good to see everybody from top to bottom.”

Dunn left after the 2010 season in which he hit 38 homers and over 100 RBI for the second straight year with the Nats. But general manager Mike Rizzo decided to go in a different direction, Dunn was 31 and showing his age on defense. It was beneficial for him to transition to the American League if he wanted a multi-year deal.

Game 7: White Sox at Nats

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

Nationals Park plays host to the White Sox starting tonight.

Who's ready for some early-April interleague play, baby! Yes, it's April 9 and the White Sox are in town for a three-game set between Barack Obama's former hometown team and his current hometown team. (The Prez made a surprise appearance here three years ago for the Sox's last appearance, but no evidence yet to suggest he'll make a cameo tonight.)

Adam Dunn, on the other hand, is here, his first trip to D.C. since his final game with the Nationals in 2010. Remember all those "Sign Adam Dunn!" chants? Feels like a long time ago, huh? The big guy won't be in Chicago's lineup for the opener, since there's no DH in the NL park and the Nats are sending left-hander Gio Gonzalez to the mound. Sounds like Dunn will start at least one of the next two games, though, at which point I expect him to get a nice ovation from the crowd.

The guy who replaced Dunn at first base here in Washington, Adam LaRoche, is back in the lineup after missing two games with a stiff back. LaRoche is still looking for his first hit of the season, having gone 0-for-13 before the back injury started acting up.

Updates to come...

CHICAGO WHITE SOX at WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Where: Nationals Park
Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), XM 185
Weather: Partly cloudy, 79 degrees, Wind 7 mph out to CF

NATIONALS (4-2)
CF Denard Span
RF Jayson Werth
CF Bryce Harper
3B Ryan Zimmerman

Ready for interleague already?

The realignment of the Astros to the American League this year had one significant domino effect on the rest of baseball: Because there are now 15 teams in each league, interleague play is necessary throughout the entire season.

Back in the "good ole days" of interleague play, games between the two leagues were confined to a couple of days in May and a two-week stretch in June. Now, though, you had a season-opening series between the Angels and Reds (not exactly longstanding rivals) followed by a weekend series between the Royals and Phillies.

And next up, this newfangled new twist comes to Washington, with the White Sox in town to face the Nationals the next three nights.

No, the Nats haven't yet faced three of their four division rivals. But they will face a team from the AL Central during the second week of April.