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Wire Taps: Cardinals back in nation's capital for four with Nationals

The Washington Nationals improved to 5-1 against the Miami Marlins in 2014 with last night's win. Tonight in D.C., they take on the St. Louis Cardinals, against whom they were 0-6 last season. Can the Nats beat the Cards?

By Patrick Reddington
Greg Fiume

The Washington Nationals starters have allowed opposing teams to take early leads a little too often in the first 15 games of this season, but the Nats' hitters keep fighting back as they did last night in the series finale with Miami.

The Marlins took a 3-0 lead on Nationals' right-hander Tanner Roark, but the 27-year-old right-hander battled to keep it close enough that Jayson Werth could tie it up with one swing of the bat. Both Roark and Marlins' starter Jose Fernandez gave up three-run blasts in last night's game, which was eventually decided by the bullpens.

"We have the ability to come back in games because guys grind at bats and they never give up." - Matt Williams on Nats' comeback wins

Roark surrendered a three-run blast by Fish second baseman Derek Dietrich in the fourth, but held the Marlins scoreless for another 2 1/3 innings while the Nationals rallied for their fifth comeback win early this season.

"He was good," Nats' skipper Matt Williams said when asked about Roark's outing. "He gave up the home run to their second baseman, but Dietrich's got some power. And he just left a fastball over, trying to go in and he left it out over the plate. Other than that he pitched really well."

After Werth tied it up in the top of the sixth, Zach Walters hit an eighth inning home run off Marlins' lefty Mike Dunn and the Nationals scored two more on a bases-loaded single by Ian Desmond that gave them a little breathing room.

"It's good that they fight," Williams said. "We have the ability to come back in games because guys grind at bats and they never give up. So that being said it's a good thing, not ideal, but good."

With the win, the Nationals improved to 5-1 against Miami so far in 2014. Tonight, they're back in the nation's capital to take on the St. Louis Cardinals, against whom they were 0-6 last season, and were outscored 18-9. Taylor Jordan vs Adam Wainwright in D.C. at 7:05 pm EDT. Until then, it's links and lots of them, starting right now.

• THE BIG STORY!!!:

• "Since the start of 2013, the Nationals are 8-29 against the 2013 National League division winners — St. Louis, Los Angeles and Atlanta..." - "Defending NL champion St. Louis Cardinals come to town" - James Wagner, Washington Post

• NATS BEAT:

• "Desperate to close out a rough road trip on a high note, the Nationals found themselves in a familiar position tonight..." - "Instant analysis: Nats 6, Marlins 3" - Mark Zuckerman, Nats Insider

• "The jury's out on whether that's the best way to build a winning record, but so far, it has the Nats coming home from a six-game road trip with a 9-6 mark." - "Nationals Pastime: Williams on comebacks: 'It's a good thing. Not ideal, but good'" - Josh Land, MASNSports.com

• "In 2013, the Cardinals and Nationals played six times, with the Cards winning every one of them." - "St. Louis Cardinals at Washington Nationals - April 17, 2014" - Alyson Footer, MLB.com Preview

• "Baseball is a small world. With apologies to Kevin Bacon, call it six degrees of separation on the diamond. Nationals pinch-hitter Zach Walters crushed a ..." - "Walters delivers game's biggest hit against familiar foe" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com

• "The Washington Nationals put themselves in a position Wednesday night that has become all too familiar during the early stages of this season." - "Jayson Werth, Zach Walters hit late home runs to lift Nationals past Marlins, 6-4" - James Wagner, The Washington Post

• "So, in that vein, the Nationals may feel they have some work to do this week, beginning with the first of a four-game home set with St. Louis on Thursday." - "St. Louis Cardinals at Washington Nationals - April 17, 2014" - Alyson Footer, MLB.com Preview

• "Desperate to close out a rough road trip on a high note, the Nationals found themselves in a familiar position tonight..." - "Instant analysis: Nats 6, Marlins 3" - Mark Zuckerman, Nats Insider

• "Home runs by Jayson Werth and Zach Walters powered the Nationals to a 6-3 comeback win over the Marlins in front of 20,178 fans..." - "Washington Nationals at Miami Marlins - April 16, 2014" - Christina De Nicola, MLB.com WSH Recap

• "Werth tied it with a three-run homer in the sixth and Walters gave the Nats a 4-3 lead with a homer in the eighth." - "Nationals Pastime: Walters, Werth and Roark discuss Nats' win over Marlins" - Josh Land, MASNSports.com

• "Jayson Werth had some long drives during this series held in play by the spacious dimensions of Marlins Park." - "Jayson Werth's tying home run confirmed by replay in Miami" - Joe Frisaro, nationals.com: News

• "Bryce Harper was scratched an hour before Wednesday’s game with a tight left quadriceps muscle but is expected to play on Thursday in Washington against the St. Louis Cardinals." - "Bryce Harper scratched with quad tightness but expected to play Thursday" - James Wagner, Washington Post

• "Combined with some lights-out work from the back end of the bullpen, and the Nationals beat the Marlins 6-0 over the game’s final four innings." - "Washington Nationals beating opponents late in games" - Mark Zuckerman, Nats Insider


• "Once again, the Nationals did serious damage off Miami relievers in the eighth inning." - "Washington Nationals at Miami Marlins - April 16, 2014" - Joe Frisaro, MLB.com MIA Recap

• "The Nats closed out their six-game road trip with a victory last night, their fifth comeback win already this season." - "Nationals Pastime: Some early notes and quotes" - Dan Kolko, MASNSports.com

• "Harper, who left the previous two games with the same issue, has hit 10-for-19 (.556) with three doubles, a triple, three runs and an RBI on the Nationals' two-city road trip." - "Harper a late scratch in Miami with tight left quad" - Christina De Nicola and Teddy Cahill, nationals.com: News

• Your Daily Message from the Dalai Lama on Twitter (@DalaiLama):

• NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

• "A pair of errors by catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and more shaky relief work by the bullpen sent it all crumbling rather quickly." - "Jose Fernandez, Miami Marlins unravel late in loss to Washington Nationals" - Manny Navarro, MiamiHerald.com

• "Give Jose Fernandez a 3-0 lead and most of the time that means the Marlins will walk off the field shaking hands and slapping high-fives." - "Miami Marlins’ bullpen allows another late HR as Washington..." - Tom D'Angelo, www.palmbeachpost.com

• "For the better part of seven innings, catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia made all the right calls." - "Miami Marlins can't capitalize on Jose Fernandez's 10-strikeout effort" - Juan C. Rodriguez, Sun Sentinel

• "The bullpen wasn't expected to be a problem for the Miami Marlins in 2014, but after Miami's relievers struggled during the eight game losing streak." - "MLB Scores: Washington Nationals 6, Miami Marlins 3" - Scott Gelman, Fish Stripes

• "After a year of massive disappointment in 2013, the expectations were sky-high for Washington in 2014 with new manager Matt Williams." - "Is it 'Do or Die' time for the Washington Nationals?" - Matt Krause, The PendulumThe Pendulum

• NATS MINORS:

• "Potential ace Lucas Giolito leads a Washington Nationals farm system that has a lot of question-marks but is not devoid of talent." - "Washington Nationals Top 20 Prospects for 2014" - John Sickels, Minor League Ball

• Low-A Hagerstown: "The Hagerstown Suns (9-4) lost a marathon 1-0 pitchers duel to the Delmarva Shorebirds (6-7) in 15 innings on Wednesday night in front of 1,315 at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium." - "Shorebirds sweep Suns in shortened two-game series" - Eli Pearlstein, Hagerstown Suns News

• High-A Potomac: "Meanwhile, the Nationals improve to three games over the .500 mark overall and now have a share of first place with the Lynchburg Hillcats (Atlanta Braves)." - "P-Nats Sweep Wednesday Doubleheader with Pelicans" - Potomac Nationals News

• "Thursday’s News & Notes" - Luke Erickson, NationalsProspects.com

• "In a South Atlantic League pitchers' duel that lived up to expectations Wednesday, the Orioles' No. 4 prospect Hunter Harvey slightly edged the Nationals' No. 1 prospect Lucas Giolito." - "Prospects Harvey, Giolito impress in pitchers' duel" - Christina De Nicola and Teddy Cahill, nationals.com: News

• "Federal Reserve: Giolito Shows Improvement In Second Start" - Zach Spedden, The Nats Blog

• Double-A Harrisburg: Curve 5, Senators 2 - Felipe Rivero - 5.0 IP , 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 Ks - Harrisburg Senators Scoreboard

• Double-A Harrisburg: "The Sens placed Vettleson on the disabled list earlier in the day with a fractured pisiform bone, a small rounded carpal bone situated where the palm of the hand meets the outer edge of the wrist." - "Harrisburg Senators OF Drew Vettleson, a top Nats' prospect, out 4-6 weeks with broken hand" - Dave Sottile, PennLive.com

• "Hunter Harvey, the Orioles 2013 first-round pick, and Washington Nationals top pitching prospect Lucas Giolito matched heat Wednesday night to start the first half of a frigid doubleheader at Perdue Stadium." - "Harvey and Giolito meet in match up of O's, Nationals top pitching prospects" - Jon Meoli, Baltimore Sun

• "Syracuse Chiefs won 6-5 last night to improve to 4-7 on the season." - "Nats Minor League Game Recaps (4/17)" - Mark Buterbaugh, DC Pro Sports Report

• Triple-A Syracuse: "When Danny Rosenbaum threw his first wintry pitch at NBT Bank Stadium on Wednesday just past 4 o'clock, the temperature stood at 35 degrees." - "Syracuse Chiefs overcome both the cold and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs to win a chilly one 6-5" - Bud Poliquin, syracuse.com

• Triple-A Syracuse: "The Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, rallied back from an early 4-0 deficit to win the series opener against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Wednesday night, 6-5." - "Down four, Chiefs rally for 6-5 win" - Syracuse Chiefs News

• NATSTOWN:

• "The Nats have a very important homestand coming up. They are roughly a 1/10th into the baseball season (I know!) and have played all of three teams." - "Homestand / Homeland joke" - Harper, Nationals Baseball

• "Video: Zach Walters on his pinch-hit home run" - Nats Enquirer

• "So this year, I’m officially switching to the Washington Nationals. After all, I have lived around Washington, D.C., longer than I lived in Massachusetts." - "Lifelong Red Sox fan finds a new favorite" - Fred Bowen, The Washington Post


• "The Baltimore Orioles are advertising on a billboard just outside of Washington, DC, less than seven miles from Nationals Park. Here it is: https://twitter." - "This Orioles billboard is making Nationals fans very upset" - Ted Berg, For The Win

• "Sitting atop the Washington Nationals leaderboard in several offensive categories, Anthony Rendon is having himself quite the start to 2014." - "Statistically Speaking: Anthony Rendon’s Swing" - Stuart Wallace, District Sports Page

• "Tanner Roark pitched six innings, Jason Werth and Zach Walters each hit clutch homers and the Washington Nationals defeated the Miami Marlins 6-3..." - "Homers from Werth and Walters Power Nats Over Marlins 6-3" - Nick Fineman, The Nats Blog

• "Nationals 2014 Walk-on music review Part 2: Pitchers" - Todd Boss, Nationals Arm Race

• "In the short history of the Washington Nationals there are just a handful of teams that make Nats fans cringe." - "Get To Know A Series: St. Louis Cardinals" - Nationals 101

• NL EAST UPDATES:

• "For four innings, Dillon Gee was perfect, and through six innings, he was still cruising. In the seventh, however, he began to look human, and soon his day was done." - "Gee, Perfect Through Four Innings, Sparkles as Mets Sweep Diamondbacks" - Tim Rohan, NYTimes.com

• Phillies: "History's Worst Monsters: Phillies Edition" - RememberthePhitans, The Good Phight

• Braves: "Construction begins mid-February 2015, with a soft opening of Feb. 17, 2017." - "Timeline for new stadium construction revealed" - Jane Hammond, Talking Chop

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