Nats Nightly

Washington Nationals' manager Dusty Baker said today's game would be a good test after a disappointing loss last night in Kansas City and his Nats came out and pounded the Royals in the series finale, winning 13-2 to take 2 of 3 in Kauffman Stadium. Stephen Strasburg put together a solid start, Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Daniel Murphy and Wilson Ramos had multi-hit games and the Nationals as a team connected for 16 hits total in a big win that left them 19-8 on the year.

The Washington Nationals handed a 6-4 lead to veteran closer Jonathan Papelbon, but he blew his second save of the season as the Kansas City Royals rallied to tie it at 6-6 in the ninth and a walk-off single by Lorenzo Cain won it. 7-6 final. The Nationals four-game winning streak was snapped with the loss and it set up a rubber match between the Nats and the defending World Series champs tomorrow afternoon in Kauffman Stadium at 2:15 PM EDT.

Gio Gonzalez threw a lot of pitches early, but hung around for 102 pitches total over six scoreless innings in Kauffman Stadium as the Washington Nationals took the series opener with the Kansas City Royals, 2-0. It was the fourth straight win for the Nationals, who improved to 18-7 on the year with the win. After Gonzalez was done, Sammy Solis, Shawn Kelley, Oliver Perez and Jonathan Papelbon combined for 3.0 scoreless frames, shutting the defending World Series champions out.

Washington Nationals' right-hander Max Scherzer returned to form and the Nats' bats came to life in the sixth and seventh innings against St. Louis Cardinals' starter Carlos Martinez as the Nationals swept the three-game set in Busch Stadium with a 6-1 win. It was the first sweep in the Nationals' franchise history (2005-present) and the first sweep in overall franchise history since the Montreal Expos swept the Cards thirty years again in 1986. 30 years? And Bryce Harper was hitless in the series... Nationals now 17-7.

Daniel Murphy hit an RBI single and Jayson Werth hit a three-run blast in the first as the Washington Nationals jumped out to an early 4-0 lead over Jaime Garcia and the St. Louis Cardinals. Nats' starter Joe Ross gave up just one run in six innings of work in the 6-1 win as Washington won the first series in St. Louis since all the way back in 2007. One more with the Cards tomorrow with Max Scherzer on the mound in Busch Stadium.

Washington Nationals' right-hander Stephen Strasburg struck out nine batters in seven innings of work and the Nats beat the St. Louis Cardinals in Busch Stadium III for just the fourth time in the last 21 games in the Cardinals' home. Washington snapped a three-game losing streak with the win and improved to 15-7 on the year. Jonathan Papelbon earned save No. 8 of 2016. 5-4 final in St. Louis. Dusty Baker's boys got the job done in Missouri.

Gio Gonzalez and Jeremy Hellickson battled through five scoreless each, but the Philadelphia Phillies struck first with runs in the sixth and seventh innings in what ended up a 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals in Nationals Park. The Phillies took the series with wins in the first two games of the three-game set which wraps up tomorrow afternoon in a 4:05 PM EDT matchup. Gonzalez was sharp again, but not sharp enough. Will the Nats avoid the sweep?

Max Scherzer struggled in the first inning again, before going on to make a decent start, but the Washington Nationals rallied to tie it after falling behind early, only to eventually drop the series opener with the Philadelphia Phillies by a score of 4-3. Philly righty Vince Velazquez impressed again with mid-90s heat and a nice curve, and the Phillies' strategy of limiting the damage Bryce Harper could do paid off in the end.

It was a 4-3 game in the Minnesota Twins' favor until Bryce Harper hit a game-tying pinch hit home run in the Washington Nationals' ninth. It took sixteen innings to decide this one, but the Nats eventually won it on Chris Heisey's walk-off home run. Un-real. Nationals now 14-4. Remember when Stephen Strasburg started this game? Dusty Baker and the boys earned tomorrow's day off. Three with the Philadelphia Phillies starting on Tuesday night in D.C.

Washington Nationals' starter Tanner Roark set a career high in Ks with 15 total on 121 pitches over seven scoreless frames as the Nats made it two straight over the Minnesota Twins with a 2-0 win this afternoon in the nation's capital. The Nats scored two early on Twins' starter Phil Hughes and held on for their 13th win in 17 games so far this season. One more with the Twins tomorrow afternoon in the nation's capital.