May 8th, 2013 at 11:55 PM
By Steven RosenIf the season were to end today, the Washington Nationals would have the National League Cy Young. His name would not be Strasburg or Gonzalez.
Jordan Zimmermann continued his early season dominance on Wednesday, throwing seven strong innings, allowing just one run while striking out seven. He picked up his sixth win of the season, and his third consecutive.
Zimmermann is tied for the Major League lead in wins, and is third in the National League with a 1.59 era. He ranks second in innings pitched at 59, and has walked just nine batters.
On Tuesday Zimmermann faced what may have been his toughest task of the season, a matchup with last year's American League Champion Detroit Tigers.
The Tigers got on the board in the top of the third inning when 2012 AL MVP Miguel Cabrera singled in Tori Hunter. But that was all that they would get, as ZImmermann kept them scoreless after the third.
The Nationals tied the game in the bottom of the third when Bryce Harper hit a sacrifice fly that scored Denard Span, making it a 1-1 ballgame.
In the bottom of the fourth, another sacrifice fly, this time from catcher Kurt Suzuki put the Nationals ahead 2-1.
Read more... Join the Conversation... May 7th, 2013 at 8:42 PM
By Steven RosenBryce Harper, who was ejected from the Washington Nationals' 6-2 win over the Pirates on Sunday, will not miss any time as league officials told Nationals' Manager Davey Johnson that Harper will not be suspended.
Harper was thrown out arguing a call with the third base umpire, who called him out on a check swing for strike three.
Johnson also said that Harper will not face any fine for the ejection either.
Read more... Join the Conversation... May 7th, 2013 at 8:38 PM
By Steven RosenThe much anticipated series between last year's American League Champion Detroit Tigers and the Washington Nationals has been postponed due to rain.
The schedules starters were Jordan Zimmerman for the Nationals, and Anibal Sanchez for the Tigers. Both have had great starts to their 2013 season.
Zimmermann, leads the Nationals with five wins, and is coming off two starts in which he threw 17 innings, did not allow a run and surrendered just three hits total.
Sanchez leads the Tigers rotation with a 1.82 ERA, and struck out 17 batters in a start on April 26th. He is currently 3-2 on the season.
The opening game of the series has yet to be rescheduled.
Read more... Join the Conversation... May 2nd, 2013 at 12:50 PM
By Steven RosenNationals' 21 year old superstar Bryce Harper, who currently ranks fourth in the National League in batting average, and third in home runs, left Wednesday night's game with an apparent rib injury.
Harper collided with the outfield wall in Atlanta on Tuesday night, but suffered the injury while taking a swing in Wednesday's game. It is unsure what exactly caused the injury.
The Nationals are calling the injury a bruised rib, and are considering Harper day to day.
Read more... Join the Conversation... May 2nd, 2013 at 12:44 PM
By Steven Rosen
Washington Nationals' pitcher Jordan Zimmermann continued his early season dominance last night, as the Nats took down the Braves 2-0. With the win, Zimmermann improved to 5-1 on the season.
In his last two starts, Zimmermann has thrown 17 innings, and allowed just three hits. He has struck out 12 in comparison to just one walk, and did not allow an earned run in the two wins.
A single to Justin Upton in the second inning, and a double to Paul Maholm in the fourth, was the only offense for the entire night from the Atlanta Braves, who have been the best team in baseball thus far this season.
The Nationals scored their only runs of the night in the top of the fourth inning, when Bryce Harper led off the inning with a walk, and Ian Desmond followed with a two run home run, his fourth of the year.
The two runs were all that Zimmermann needed, as he went on to throw eight innings of scoreless baseball. Rafael Soriano pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his eighth save of the season.
Zimmermann finished with eight strikeouts, and no walks allowed, and gave up just the two hits.
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