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Reed Johnson hit a big ground-rule double in the top of the eighth inning last night in Atlanta, driving in a run to get the Washington Nationals within one run of the Braves at 11-10 in what ended up a 13-12 win for the Nats. Coming out of the batter's box on the hit, Johnson was noticeably uncomfortable though. He stayed in the game, at second base, but after a throw to the bag forced him to slide back into second, Johnson left the game.
After the comeback win in Turner Field, Nationals' manager Matt Williams said the injury Johnson suffered could keep him out for a while.
"He's pulled a muscle," Williams said. "It acts like plantar fasciitis, but it's actually a muscle that kind of goes underneath your foot and up the side of your leg. He felt it when he came out of the box, he had a big pop and when he got out to second it was starting to subside and then he had to dive back into second base again, and he couldn't go any further. So we'll evaluate him tomorrow. See what we have to do."
This afternoon, the Nationals placed Johnson on the 15-Day DL with what the press release on the move said was a left calf strain.
The Nats called Michael Taylor back up to the majors to take Johnson's place on the roster, just weeks after Taylor, who started the season in center for the Nationals, was optioned to Triple-A upon Denard Span's return from the DL.
Taylor put up a .271/.314/.500 line with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, three walks and 19 Ks in 12 games and 48 plate apperances before he was sent down.
Nationals 13-12 over Braves on Uggla's 3-run blast
Photo © Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports
In eight games and 32 PAs with the Nats' top minor league affiliate, the 24-year-old outfielder was 10 for 26 with a double, a home run, four walks and 10 Ks before he was called back up today.
Also joining the Nationals is 2010 2nd Round pick Sammy Solis, 26, who seemed poised to play a part in the Nats' bullpen last season before elbow soreness limited him to a total of five games and 18 IP last season.
Solis was assigned to Double-A Harrisburg just ten days back after working his way back in extended Spring Training.
As the Nationals noted in the press release on today's moves, if Solis gets into either of the next two games, he will be the fifth rookie to debut for the Nationals over the first month of the season.