Washington Nationals

Via Fangraphs (click to embiggen) Finishing strong: Stephen Strasburg (+34.4%) strikes out 7 but walks 3 in 7 IP, giving up 1 ER. Early offense: Ryan Zimmerman (+6.3%) doubles in a run in the first to get the Nats on the board (+11.0%). Slump busted: Ian Desmond (+10.1%) is 2-4 with an RBI double to put up a second run in the first (+10.3%). Tightrope... WALKED: Tyler Clippard (+12.4%) gives up a two-out double, but holds the one-run lead with a scoreless aeyth. Leave it tucked in: Rafael Soriano (-33.4%) gives up a single and a two-out triple (that maybe Harper could have caught?) for the tying run in the 9th. Welcome back to the bigs: Yunesky Maya (-38.3%) gives up some hard hits in the 10th, including the losing two-run dinger.

Davey Johnson was at a loss to explain the continued lack of offensive production after Monday night's 8-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants in the Washington Nationals' first game of three in AT&T. "I can't explain it," the 70-year-old manager told reporters, "Even the hitters went over some things and had a little meeting today. [Ryan Zimmerman] said a few words and [Ian Desmond] and it was a good meeting. That we're trying to do too much and not just go up there and swing the bat, get a good pitch and hit it. But we'll be all right. Tomorrow is another day. But today was awful tough." It was the sixth time this year the Nats had been shut out. The Nationals' 155 runs scored so far this season before tonight were the National League's third lowest total. They had the second-worst average and on base percentage and the third lowest slugging percentage in the NL going into the game. Third-lowest BABIP. Second-lowest wRC+. They had Stephen Strasburg on the mound tonight in the second game of three, but the 24-year-old right-hander entered the game tied with Atlanta's Kris Medlen with the fourth-lowest average runs per start in the National League with 2.67 runs scored when his turn's come around so far in 2013. All of which meant, of course... that the visiting team would jump out to a quick 2-0 lead... give Strasburg less support than usual and hold a 2-1 lead until the ninth when the Giants rallied to tie it ... Here's what happened... After Nats' leadoff man Denard Span singled his way on to start the game, Bryce Harper, in the two-spot tonight, bunted the runner over ill-advisedly(?) giving up an out, but it set Ryan Zimmerman up for with an RBI opp the three-hole hitter cashed in with a line drive double into the left-center gap and off the Yahoo! sign on AT&T's outfield wall. 1-0 Nationals. Zimmerman's fifth was followed one out later by Ian Desmond's 14th double of 2013. The Nationals' shortstop took a 1-1 slider from Matt Cain the other way for a two-out, two-base hit that drove Zim in for a 2-0 lead over the Giants after a 1/2 inning in San Francisco. #zimanddesileadbyexample GIven a two-run lead to work with, Stephen Strasburg walked Angel Pagan to start the Giants' first inning of work, but the Nats' starter quickly erased the leadoff runner with a 5-4-3 DP off Marco Scutaro's bat. Pablo Sandoval took a 1-2 fastball through the left side of the infield for a two-out single by a diving Ryan Zimmerman and past an in-pursuit Ian Desmond. Buster Posey hit a full-count heater back up the middle to put two on with two out for Hunter Pence, and... Strasburg walked Pence on four pitches to load the bases for Brandon Belt, who was 4 for 5 in the series opener last night. Belt K'd swinging over a diving 2-2 change, however, and Strasburg had a scoreless first after 31 pitches. A 1-2-3 second against the Nats' 7-8-9 hiiters had Matt Cain up to 37 pitches after two innings on the mound in AT&T. Gregor Blanco singled to start the Giants' second on an 0-1 change from Stephen Strasburg. A 1-1 two-seamer to Brandon Crawford got a fly to center for out no.1 of the bottom of the second. Out no.2 came on a sac bunt from the opposing pitcher. With a runner on second and two down, Angel Pagan lined to center on a belt-high 2-0 heater that drove Blanco in and made it a 2-1 game, but Pagan got caught trying to steal second for out no.3 after cutting the Nationals' lead in half. [ed. note - "Updated Suzuki stats, 3 for 28 in SB against.] 13-pitch inning for Strasburg, 43 overall after two. After a 10-pitch, 1-2-3 third, Matt Cain was up to 46 overall and he'd set seven Nationals in a row down after Ian Desmond's two-out double in the first. Still 2-1 Nats. Marco Scutaro took the second leadoff walk of the night off Stephen Strasburg and was the third leadoff runner in a row to reach base. As he did in the first, however, Strasburg erased the leadoff walk with a DP, this time a 6-4-3 off Pablo Sandoval's bat. A 1-2 change to Buster Pose

Just Stephen Strasburg brushing back Buster Posey in the sixth inning. You could watch it all day. Strasburg pitched like an Ace tonight, pulled after 7 innings... (vine via MASN/TV) Befriend Nats Enquirer on Facebook. Follow on Twitter.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — With Ryan Vogelsong sidelined for the foreseeable future, the San Francisco Giants are facing more change and challenges for their struggling starting rotation. View full post on Yahoo! Sports – MLB – Washington Nationals News

Forty years after he last played in one as a player, Davey Johnson is going to the All-Star Game. Monday, San Francisco Giants Manager Bruce Bochy invited Johnson to serve on the National League coaching staff at the Midsummer Classic, … Continue reading →

The Nationals will try to snap out of their offensive malaise tonight with a reconfigured lineup. They have received little production from the No. 2 spot in Jayson Werth’s absence. Tonight, Manager Davey Johnson moved his best hitter, Bryce Harper, … Continue reading →

The most welcoming quality of baseball’s grinding schedule may be the daily opportunity for renewal. Last night, after an 8-0 loss, the Nationals emptied a somber locker room. The last man out was Ryan Mattheus, who had learned he broke … Continue reading →

Stephen Strasburg will take the ball tonight at AT&T Park, and the Nationals will ask him to do what aces do: stop a losing streak and snap them out of a rotten spell. The Nationals have been outscored by 17 … Continue reading →

Associated PressStephen Strasburg faces Matt Cain tonight at AT&T Park.The Nationals are in a tenuous position right now, no doubt about it. They've lost seven of their last 10, have a bunch of guys banged up with injuries and had to call in a pair of arms from Class AAA Syracuse for bullpen support. But they've also got Stephen Strasburg taking the mound tonight, and one dominant start from the would-be ace of this staff could certainly go a long way toward righting the club's ship overall.Strasburg is coming off a very impressive outing in San Diego, one in which he was allowed to go eight innings for the first time in his professional career. I wouldn't be surprised if Davey Johnson shows the same confidence in his young right-hander tonight, understanding the significance of this game.Obviously, the Nationals will need to provide some run support for Strasburg, and they face a mighty tough challenge in that respect, with Matt Cain on the hill for the Giants. Cain hasn't been himself so far this season, but it's hard to believe he won't figure things out before long, perhaps as soon as tonight.As you know, I'm not on the road trip. But CSNwashington.com's Steve Roney actually happens to be in San Francisco at the moment and he was kind enough to offer to help out at AT&T Park tonight. So be sure to check back later for coverage from him. Enjoy the game...WASHINGTON NATIONALS at SAN FRANCISCO GIANTSWhere: AT&T ParkGametime: 10:15 p.m. EDTTV: MASN2, MLB.tvRadio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 183Weather: Clear, 55 degrees, Wind 18 mph out to RFNATIONALS (23-22)CF Denard SpanRF Bryce Harper3B Ryan Zimmerman1B Adam LaRocheRead more »

Washington Nationals' manager Davey Johnson didn't provide a firm date, but when asked how long reliever Ryan Mattheus would likely be out, he told reporters, "He's going to be out a while. It's a broken bone in your pitching hand, that's going to be out a while." Since the Nats had to piece together a start last night in San Francisco with relievers Zach Duke, Craig Stammen and Henry Rodriguez all pitching more than they're used to with Ross Detwiler out of action with an oblique issue, the Nats' skipper announced after the game that outfielder Eury Perez would be sent back to Triple-A Syracuse to make room for some relief reinforcements. "We have a couple pitchers coming in," Davey Johnson said. "One of the moves that we had to make was to send out a position player, go short on the position side, because of the uncertainty." - Davey Johnson on calling up Maya and Abad "We have a couple pitchers coming in," Johnson said. "One of the moves that we had to make was to send out a position player, go short on the position side, because of the uncertainty." Getting the call, the manager announced, are 27-year-old Dominican-born lefty Fernando Abad and 31-year-old Cuban right-hander Yunesky Maya. Abad signed with Washington as a free agent this past winter after three major league seasons with Houston. The Astros signed the 6'1'', 220 lb left-hander back in 2002. Abad is (1-11) over his three big league campaigns with a 5.10 ERA, 5.00 FIP, 33 walks (3.51 BB/9) and 65 Ks (6.91 K/9) in 88 games (six starts) and 84.2 IP, but he impressed in Spring Training with the Nats, walking two, striking out eight and posting a 2.57 ERA with a .200 BAA before he was sent to the Nats' top affiliate. In 17 games and 17.0 IP as a reliever with the Syracuse Chiefs this season, Abad has a 1.06 ERA, 2.14 FIP, two walks (1.06 BB/9) and 12 Ks (6.35 K/9). Maya, hailed by D.C. GM Mike Rizzo as the franchise's, "first major international signing," after he agreed to 4-year/$8M in the winter of 2010, has been less than impressive since joining the organization and has pitched the majority of his innings of his four-year deal with the Chiefs. Last season, Maya was (11-10) in 28 starts with a 3.88 ERA, 4.52 FIP, 20 HR (1.08 HR/9) and 40 walks (2.16 BB/9) allowed over 167.0 innings of work in which he struck out 89 batters (4.80 K/9). Nationals Introduce Cuban Right-Hander Yunesky Maya To DC Photo © Ezra Shaw/Getty Images So far this season in Syracuse, Maya is (1-4) in eight starts with a 5.07 ERA, 3.64 FIP, three home runs (0.54 HR/9) allowed, 17 walks (3.08 BB/9) and 34 Ks (6.16 K/9). As a major leaguer, however, Maya is (1-4) with a 5.52 ERA, 4.74 FIP, 6 HR (0.92 HR/9), 21 walks (3.22 BB/9) and 27 Ks (4.14 K/9) over 15 games, 10 starts and 58.2 IP. As of 6:13 pm EST tonight, no official announcement had been made, but Johnson assured reporters early this morning that both would be in AT&T Park tonight.