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Wire Taps: Taylor Hill debuts for Nationals, Wilson Ramos returning, benches clearing

Washington Nationals' right-hander Stephen Strasburg was out after just 4 2/3 IP in the series finale with the Milwaukee Brewers in Miller Park, at which point Taylor Hill entered the game, 14 hours after he learned that he was being called up to the majors for the first time.

By Patrick Reddington

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Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Taylor Hill, 25, got the call at 2:00 AM on Wednesday morning, caught a flight around 6:00 AM and the Washington Nationals' 2011 6th Round out of Vanderbilt made his MLB debut in Milwaukee's Miller Park around 4:00 PM in the fifth inning of the Nats' series finale with the Brewers.

"He didn't get any sleep last night," Nationals' Manager Matt Williams said after Hill gave up five hits and two runs in 3 ⅓ IP in the 9-2 loss in Wisconsin.

"Coach Corbin, I'm sure everybody had a field day with his tweet," Hill said. "I don't know about that. I didn't intend for that." - Taylor Hill to MASN's Josh Land on college coach breaking news of call-up

"Got here this morning, went through everything with regard to the signs and all that stuff and went out there and pitched. And he did well. He threw a lot of pitches, but it's okay, he's been used to that, and he was excited, so different circumstance it could be a better day for him, but nonetheless he's excited to be here."

Hill was (9-2) with a save in 15 games, 14 starts and 93 ⅔ IP at Triple-A before he was called up, putting up a 1.92 ERA, a 3.44 FIP, nine walks (0.86 BB/9) and 65 Ks (6.25 K/9) in his first full season with the Syracuse Chiefs.

"Hill threw the ball good, saved our bullpen today," Williams said.

And he hit Carlos Gomez. Ian Desmond said there was no way he did it on purpose. Gomez was mad enough that he went in late and hard at second on an inning-ending double play in the eighth, sparking a bench-clearing incident that fizzled out quickly when "cooler heads prevailed," "nothing came of it," "no punches were thrown..." etc...

Which leads us to today's Big Story and all of today's links, which start... RIGHT NOW!!:

• THE BIG STORY!!!:

• "'In a World Series game, you slide like that. In a seven-run differential game, there’s no time for that.'" - Ian Desmond - "Benches clear after Ian Desmond takes issue with Carlos Gomez’s hard slide" - James Wagner, The Washington Post

• Hey, Did you hear the benches cleared?:


• "Hill said he didn't intend to hit Gomez. 'I was just trying to go inside. There was no intent there...'" - "Nationals Pastime: Desmond on scrum with Gomez, Strasburg on struggles, Hill on debut" - Josh Land, MASNSports.com

• "For the second time this season, Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez was at the center of a bench-clearing altercation." - "Benches clear over hard slide in Brewers-Nationals game" - Nick Schwartz, For The Win

• "Gomez had been hit by a pitch prior to the play, though it didn't seem to have much malice to it." - "VIDEO: Benches clear in Milwaukee after Carlos Gomez slide" - Matt Snyder, CBSSports.com

• "Carlos Gomez and Ian Desmond came together for a brief colloquy in the bottom of the eighth of today's Nationals-Brewers game..." - "Benches Clear After Carlos Gomez Tries To Break Up Double Play" - Samar Kalaf, Deadspin

• "Desmond offered a much more serious take on the dust-up, which occurred during the eighth inning of the Brewers' 9-2 win." - "Nats, Brewers keep cool after benches clear" - Adam McCalvy, nationals.com: News

• NATS BEAT:

• "Last season, in a 15-inning game against the Braves, LaRoche was the next pitcher up, but he hit a home run in the top of the inning to help win the game." - "Adam LaRoche was next to pitch in the Nationals’ 16-inning win" - James Wagner, Washington Post

• "The unconditional release of Garcia ends a once promising stint with the Nationals." - "Nats DFA Greg Dobbs, cut Christian Garcia, call up Taylor Hill" - Chase Hughes, Nats Insider

• "Hill is having a tremendous first full season at Triple-A, tying for the International League lead with a 1.92 ERA..." - "Nationals Pastime: Taylor Hill on callup: 'It's definitely a dream come true'" - Josh Land, MASNSports.com

• #VoteRendon: "One could argue that Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon deserves to be in the All-Star Game." - "Nats' hitting coach sees Rendon as a Star" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News

• "Gio Gonzalez is slated to start the first game at 1 p.m. Eastern time, and Treinen will start the second game at 7:15 Eastern time." - "Blake Treinen to start Saturday; Bryce Harper to rehab with Harrisburg" - James Wagner, The Washington Post

• "Hill is a starter by trade, but he will be coming out of the bullpen for the next couple of days." - "Nats recall Hill as reliever, designate Dobbs" - Bill Ladson, nationals.com: News

• "Next up, the Nats will likely need to make another roster move with catcher Wilson Ramos in line to return from the disabled list Thursday in Chicago." - "Nationals Pastime: Williams on roster move, Ramos, Harper, Saturday doubleheader" - Josh Land, MASNSports.com

• "This week, facing a 47-30 Milwaukee team, the Nationals won the first two games of the series and held the Brewers to two runs in those games." - "Strasburg looks to complete sweep in Milwaukee (Brewers win 9-2)" - Byron Kerr, MASNSports.com

• "There's no doubt Travis Wood is happy to stay home and pitch at Wrigley Field." - "Washington Nationals at Chicago Cubs - June 26, 2014" - Steven Petrella, MLB.com Preview

• "Perhaps the Nationals would score early runs against a struggling starter, and maybe Strasburg could hit a groove against a weakened lineup." - "Stephen Strasburg stumbles in Nationals’ 9-2 loss to Brewers" - James Wagner, The Washington Post

• "Gennett's home run proved to be the decisive drive, and it was enough for Brewers right-hander Marco Estrada to pick up his seventh victory of the season." - "Washington Nationals at Milwaukee Brewers - June 25, 2014" - Bill Ladson, MLB.com WSH Recap

• "We just went out there and calmed it all down. He slid past the bag, but it was a good feed by Desi and a good turn by (Kevin Frandsen)...'" - Matt Williams - "Nationals Pastime: Williams discusses Nats' 9-2 loss to Brewers" - Josh Land, MASNSports.com

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

• NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

• "Though he is a starting pitcher by trade, Hill will be asked to work as a long-man out of a Nationals bullpen that was in need of an extra arm after a taxing couple of days." - "Ex-Vanderbilt pitcher Taylor Hill called up to Nationals" - Nick Cole, The Tennessean

• "Milwaukee remained one of only two teams in the major leagues that has not been swept this season. The other is the Los Angeles Dodgers." - "Brewers 9, Nationals 2 - Gennett, Davis power Brewers to victory in series finale" - Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

• "Consistency isn't the most enthralling attribute a pitcher can have, which must be why Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann flies so far under the radar." - "Jordan Zimmermann is getting better" - Alex Skillin, Beyond the Box Score

• "In order to keep their rotation set, the Cubs will call up RHP Dallas Beeler, and he will make his big league debut as the starting pitcher of the first game of said double-header." - "Chicago Cubs RHP Dallas Beeler to Make MLB Debut on Saturday" - Dan Schmelzer, VAVEL.com

• "Bryce Harper is honest and self-aware if anything." - "Bryce Harper wears great 'I love bad pitches' T-shirt" - Larry Brown Sports

• NATS MINORS:

• "The Potomac Nationals (43-32, 5-1) are now eleven games over the .500 mark on the 2014 season and own a (19-18) record in their road contests this season." - "McQuillan Three-Run Bomb Carries P-Nats Over Pelicans 7-4" - Potomac Nationals News

• "Taylor Hill Gets The Call (UPDATED)" - Luke Erickson, NationalsProspects.com

• "Sean Nicol, also released Sunday, is open to new opportunities in the game but is prepared if those opportunities aren't ideal." - "Sean Nicol reacts to his release from Nationals; Senators finish series in Richmond this afternoon" - Geoff Morrow, PennLive.com

• "Runion, 25, signed a minor-league deal with his third different professional baseball team (the Washington Nationals) last week." - "Fresh start for Runion" - Andrew Pearson, Citizen-Times

• "The Syracuse Chiefs lost their staff ace on Wednesday when Taylor Hill was promoted to the Washington Nationals." - "Washington Nationals recall pitcher Taylor Hill from the Syracuse Chiefs" - Lindsay Kramer, syracuse.com

• "Who knew that the Syracuse Chiefs would be closing in on July looking like the '27 Yankees, Lombardi's Packers and Russell's Celtics rolled into one?" - "Syracuse Chiefs have best record in all of professional baseball since May 1" - Bud Poliquin, syracuse.com

• "By consensus, experts rate Cole the No. 2 prospect in the Nationals’ system, behind only 19-year-old flamethrower Lucas Giolito." - "Nationals expected to promote A.J. Cole to Class AAA Syracuse" - Adam Kilgore, The Washington Post

• NATSTOWN:

• "In Wednesday's 53rd edition of the contest -- which was cut short by lightening and thunderstorms in the top of the seventh inning -- the Democrats again crushed the Republicans in a 15-6 victory at Nationals Park." - "Democrats defeat Republicans in 53rd annual Congressional Baseball Game" - Daniel Popper, nationals.com: News

• "Stephen Strasburg: 'I'm not right mechanically'" - Nats Enquirer

• "After burning through the bullpen in the 16-inning affair Tuesday night, the Washington Nationals needed starter Stephen Strasburg to play 'stopper' and give the pen a needed rest." - "Washington Nationals Game 77 Review: Strasburg, Nats out of gas in 9-2 loss to Brewers" - Dave Nichols, District Sports Page

• "Last night’s win may have been momentous, but today’s loss may have been as much of a letdown." - "Brewers Hammer Nats, Prevent Sweep" - Andrew Flax, The Nats Blog

• "The offense - Part 1" - Harper, Nationals Baseball

• "Watch Bryce Harper blast a 3-run home run in his rehab start Tuesday night" - Nats Enquirer

• "The Washington Nationals bullpen as a unit are having a fantastic season in support of their more acclaimed starting rotation brethren." - "Statistically Speaking: Bullpen Efficiency" - Stuart Wallace, District Sports Page

• "They’ll work on the day before Christmas or through New Years Eve, but there’s one midsummer tradition Congress isn’t going to miss..." - "Congress hustles … to make baseball game" - Colby Itkowitz, The Washington Post

• "Quick thoughts on Garcia and Hill Moves Today" - Todd Boss, Nationals Arm Race

• NL EAST UPDATES:

• Phillies: "Boy, I could go for some good Cole Hamels. Fangraph of Dom Brown's martyrdom..." - "Phillies 2, Marlins 3: Good God, What Was That?" - RememberthePhitans, The Good Phight

• Mets: "Though Curtis Granderson is the only outfielder assured of at-bats nearly every game, Lagares likely will be penciled in alongside him in center field consistently." - "Lagares’ return means Collins faces some tough decisions" - Howie Kussay, New York Post

• Braves: "Now, Freeman is hoping to be able to maintain his status as one of only three National League players who have started each of their team's games this season." - "Freeman OK after getting elbow hit by pitch" - Mark Bowman, braves.com: News

• Marlins: "Neither Henderson Alvarez nor A.J. Burnett came anywhere close to throwing a no-hitter like each once did with the Marlins." - "Miami Marlins’ Henderson Alvarez walks tight rope in victory over Phillies" - Clark Spencer, MiamiHerald.com

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