Wire Taps: Washington Nationals Send Phillies And Their Fans Packing, Stephen Strasburg Rehab Start Four Tonight.

• Programming Notes: The Washington Nationals take on the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight in Nationals Park. Stephen Strasburg makes rehab start no. 4 in Hagerstown's Municipal Stadium. It's a big Monday in NatsTown, especially after taking two of three from the great Philadelphia Phillies this weekend. Who cares how it happened, a walk-off HBP is as good as a walk-off walk or a walk-off wild pitch or a walk-off Grand Slam. I don't know if that's true, what is true is that the Washington Nationals are on a roll of sorts, having won four of six on the homestand to improve to 36-25 in Nats Park this season. Four with the D-Backs starting tonight. MASN HD, MLB.tv, 106.7 the FAN in DC, 1500 WFED, Sirius/XM channel 189...Who's Watching The Nationals?

• LINKS AND LINKS AND...

• NATS BEAT: 

• MUST READ: (in case you missed it this weekend): "Notice how I'm quoting Beasley, but not Harper? That's the silence I told you about. That's how he defends himself -- by sitting it out. He didn't talk to the media in three days in Akron, which is fine..." - "What if Harper you think you know isn't the real Bryce Harper?" - Gregg Doyel, CBSSports.com

• "Keeping with his carefully crafted rehab schedule, Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo said Strasburg will pitch four innings or throw 65 pitches, whichever comes first." - "Stephen Strasburg scheduled for four innings, 65 pitches in fourth rehab start on Monday" - James Wagner, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post

• "But Desmond, who said he saw Bastardo plenty in the minor leagues, anticipated what was coming next and tied the score." - "Desmond's blast sets stage for dramatic win" - Stephen Whyno, Washington Times

• "Coupled with Zimmerman's flashier heroics on Friday, this win ensured a series victory for the Nationals, spoiling the weekend for the tens of thousands of Phillies fans who invaded South Capitol Street." - "Another step forward" - Mark Zuckerman, Nats Insider

• "'It's fun to play in that atmosphere,' he said. 'Obviously, we'd like it to be more of our fans in the future. But if you want to get fans like that, you've got to win.'" - "With another walk-off win over Phillies, Nationals make a statement" - Ben Goessling, MASNSports.com

• "Michael Schwimer’s baseball career went through St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School in Alexandria and then through the University of Virginia." - "Alexandria's Michael Schwimer settles down in Phillies debut" - Stephen Whyno, Washington Times

• "Down to the Nationals' last strike, Desmond ripped Antonio Bastardo's 1-2 slider over the left-field fence to tie the score and force extras..." - "Philadelphia Phillies at Washington Nationals: Nats tie it in ninth on HR, win in 10th on HBP" - Steven Miller, MLB.com WSH Recap

• "I wonder if the club has considered doing another retro bobblehead, along the lines of the Frank Howard doll from a couple of years ago. Maybe Harmon Killebrew, Walter Johnson or Bucky Harris." - "Desi on the 'bay'" - Phil Wood, MASNSports.com

• "According to the respected site Baseball-Reference, it was the first time in Nationals history (since the Expos moved to the District) that this team has won a game with a walk-off HBP." - "Nats Notes: First walk-off hit by pitch" - Stephen Whyno, Washington Times

• "Over the past month, it’s as if two different Henry Rodriguez’s have thrown for the Nationals." - "Flamethrowing Henry Rodriguez working on improving his command" - James Wagner, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post

• "Entering Sunday's action against the Phillies, Johnson is 20-26 since taking over the club. Relievers Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard both said [Davey] Johnson is a person who knows how to take care of the pitching staff." - "Many Nationals hope Johnson manages in '12" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News

• "That Phillie Fascination, so many generations in the making, arrived here in Washington this weekend in waves that mounted tens of thousands high in the stands at Nationals Park." - "The Nationals giving their fans reason to stand up to the Philadelphia invaders" - Thomas Boswell, The Washington Post

• "Washington, meanwhile, is 24-13 at home since May 31. The Nationals will look to southpaw Ross Detwiler to keep the club rolling at home." - "Arizona Diamondbacks at Washington Nationals: D-Backs out to snap skid at tough Nationals Park" - Joey Nowak, MLB.com Preview

• "Using his change-up as a swing-and-miss pitch, mixing in an effective curveball that got a few outs and keeping his slider down, Wang struck out four Phillies hitters." - "Have Nats seen best of Chien-Ming Wang yet?" - Stephen Whyno, Washington Times

•"It was an aggressive but carefully selected approach that free-swinging Desmond has been working with Manager Davey Johnson to hone." - "Davey Johnson working with Ian Desmond's plate approach" - James Wagner, Nationals Journal - The Washington Post

• NATS MINOR LEAGUE UPDATES: 

• Class-A Auburn: "Leading 2-0 in the eighth, the Auburn Doubledays still couldn't sit comfortably." - "Eighth Inning Flurry Lifts Auburn to Win" - Auburn Doubledays News

• Class-A Hagerstown: "Suns LHP Robbie Ray, the number 15 overall prospect in the Washigton Nationals Minor League system, did not factor into the decision, but pitched great through 4.0 scoreless frames." - "Intimidators Hold Back Suns to Garner Set Victory" - Hagerstown Suns News

• "I would expect it to be one of those "wow" performances, even of the shutout variety, similar to the way he got into a ridiculous groove in his 14-strikeout performance last June against Pittsburgh in his major league debut." - "Why Strasburg will have a shutdown performance tonight" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com

• Class-A Potomac: "In all of the three innings Erik Davis pitched, the Potomac starter got the first two outs. In each of those three innings, he then ran into trouble." - "ONE FOR THE DOGS: DASH WIN 15-3" - Potomac Nationals News

• Double-A Harrisburg: "Shairon Martis and pitched 5.1 innings and left after the 1:07 rain delay. He struck out eight and allowed just one hit and one run, but fell to 7-5 as he was the tough luck losing pitcher." - "Senators Swept by Erie, Fall 5-1 on Sunday" - Harrisburg Senators News

• Triple-A Syracuse: "[Yunesky Maya] allowed just five hits, walking none and striking out five, with 56 of his 76 pitches going for strikes." - "Syracuse wins second straight over Sox" - Syracuse Chiefs News

• "Monday’s News & Notes" - NationalsProspects.com

• "Derek Norris: He had three home runs this week (bringing his season total to 18), but struck out 11 times in five games and is hitting just .154 over his last 10 games." - "Nats Farm Report for Week Ending August 21" - Tyler Radecki, Nats News Network

• NATSTOWN: 

• "It's hard to say this team is on the verge of something great - or terrific or special - just yet. There's a long way to go from 79 wins to the 90-plus it'll take to truly compete for the playoffs in the National League." - "On the verge of something pretty good" - MASNSports.com Nationals Buzz: Dave Nichols

• "Let's get this out of the way first: Mike Rizzo deserves mad props for uncovering the beast that has become Mike Morse in 2011." - "The Mike Morse Post" - Steven, FJB

• "Here’s hoping Phillies fans enjoyed their time at Nats Park and their drive home from I-95 yesterday." - "Phillies Fans Deserve This Outcome" - Leslie Montero, District on Deck

• "As has been insanely overreported in the last 18 hours or so, Bryce Harper is likely headed to the DL with a hamstring injury." - "What Will Harper Do With His Down Time?" - Keara Dowd, Win for Teddy

• "The real MVP at Nationals Park over the weekend?" - "Watch this Nationals Park ball girl fake out Phillies fans" - Nats Enquirer

• "To settle a bet between two gentlemen, Washington Senators catcher Charles 'Gabby' Street agreed to try to catch a baseball dropped from the Washington Monument..." - "This Day in D.C. Baseball History - Gabby's Monumental Catch" - Mark Hornbaker, Washington Nationals Daily News

• "Sunday, before another crowd filled with out-town fans, Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa delivered on the talent that the Nats see in them..." - "GAME 125 REVIEW: Nats Send Phillies Fans Home After Second Walk-Off Win of Series" - Dave Nichols, Nats News Network

• "Teddy Roosevelt seemed to have victory in hand Sunday at Nationals Park." - "Video: Did Teddy give up at the finish?" - Presidents Race Fan, Let Teddy Win!

• "The real MVP at Nationals Park over the weekend?" - "Watch this Nationals Park ball girl fake out Phillies fans" - Nats Enquirer

• NL EAST UPDATES: 

• Braves: "After winning three out of four against the San Francisco Giants, Atlanta kept up its winning ways with a three-game sweep over the Arizona Diamondbacks." - "Arizona Diamondbacks at Atlanta Braves Series Recap" - SCrebel10, Talking Chop

• Mets: "The paper reported that when manager Terry Collins asked Pelfrey if he’d be interested in closing next season, the starter responded: 'Absolutely.'" - "Report: Mets Gauge Mike Pelfrey's Interest In Becoming Closer Out Of Bullpen, New York GM Sandy Alderson Averse To Plan" - CBS New York

• Marlins: "'It's ridiculous. I'm embarrassed and they should be, too, because they are better than that,' he said after the Marlins were swept in four games by the Padres." - "Jack McKeon 'embarrassed' after Florida Marlins swept by Padres, finish road trip 1-6" - Joe Capozzi, Palm Beach Post

• Phillies: "Called up to the majors on Thursday, Phillies prospect Michael Schwimer had to wait until Sunday to make his debut..." - "Phillies Prospect Roundup: On Michael Schwimer's Debut" - Philly Friar, The Good Phight