May 2, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Washington Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper (34) celebrates with center fielder Denard Span (2) and left fielder Roger Bernadina (33) after beating the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. The Nationals won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Nationals played the final game of their four game series with the Atlanta Braves and salvaged a split in the series, beating the Braves 3-1.

Dan Haren pitched his best game yet wearing a Nats uniform, going eight innings and only giving up one run, a solo home run to Dan Uggla in the seventh inning. Haren’s pitches had great movement all night, darting up and down and over both sides of the plate. The Braves hitters only managed to eke out five hits over the eight innings Haren pitched.

Kris Medlin, Atlanta’s starter, had a hard time settling down in the first two innings and the Nats jumped on the opportunity, scoring all three of their runs before the start of the third inning. Denard Span had a great night at the plate, going three for four with a walk. Span hit two doubles, one of which scored two runs. Span scored a run after reaching base on his first double. Span also recorded the first hit against the Atlanta bullpen this year, singling off Jordan Walden in the ninth inning,

Span lead off the game with a double and took third base on a wild pitch. Steve Lombardozzi drove in Span with a single. After Bryce Harper flew out to center field, Jayson Werth got Lombardozzi to second on a groundout, but Lombardozzi was stranded at second when Ian Desmond struck out looking.

In the second inning, the Nats cashed in again. Adam LaRoche doubled and Anthony Rendon singled, putting runners on the corners. Wilson Ramos hit a ground ball that should have netted the Braves a double play, but LaRoche came far enough off third to tempt the Braves into getting him caught in a rundown. LaRoche was out, but it was only the first out of the inning and the Nats still had two on. Haren sacrificed the runners over with a bunt, and then Span hit his second double, scoring both Rendon and Ramos.

That was the end of the Nats scoring off Braves pitching, but it was enough as Haren dealt the rest of the way. Desmond doubled for another extra base hit, and Rendon went two for three with a walk in what was probably his last game with the team before the return of Ryan Zimmerman sends him back to the minors.

For all the feel good from the Nationals win, the team continued its disturbing tendency to be unable to hit with runners in scoring position. The Nats were only three for eleven in this game with RISP. The other issue that arose was with Werth’s continuing problems with his leg/ankle injury. He left the game in the top of the fifth inning, his place taken by Roger Bernadina.

Alfonso Soriano pitched the bottom of the ninth, garnering his ninth save of the year.

Next Game:  The Nationals start a series with the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Friday, May 3rd at 7:05 p.m.  Ross Detwiler (1-2, 2.03 ERA) starts for the Nationals, while A. J. Burnett (2-2, 2.83 ERA) goes for the Pirates.

Apr 27, 2013; Washington, D.C., USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Dan Haren (15) pitches in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

It was the pitching performance from Dan Haren that the Nationals had been expecting from the veteran right hander, but had not received yet this year. Haren had his best outing in a Nats uniform today, pitching six innings and only giving up two runs. The Washington Nationals beat the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday afternoon 6-3 in front of a near capacity crowd of Nats fans.

It was a good day for the Nationals in general. Bryce Harper hit a two run homer, his ninth of the year. Denard Span had two hits and an RBI and two spectacular catches in the outfield, one of which robbed Joey Votto of a home run, the other of which came with the bases loaded with Reds in the top of the seventh, ending the inning and saving two or three runs. The Nationals had ten hits and five walks against the Reds pitching staff, with most of the Nats getting on base during the game one way or another.

Brandon Leake, the Reds starter, was roughed up by the Nats early. Leake gave up six hits, three walks and four runs in three innings. The Nats opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning, getting two runs on RBIs by Haren and Span. The scoring continued in the bottom of the third when the home team got two more runs. Harper and Jayson Werth both singled. After Adam LaRoche flew out, Ian Desmond singled, scoring Harper. With runners on first and second, Anthony Rendon struck out, leaving it up to Kurt Suzuki who came through with a single toward third. Werth scored on a throwing error by Reds third baseman Jack Hannahan. Haren grounded out to end the inning, but Leake’s day was done having already thrown 71 pitches.

Haren got through six innings of work by mixing a variety of fastballs and changeups, using both sides of the plate to keep the Reds hitters off balance. Haren gave up one run in the fourth inning when Votto doubled and Brandon Phillips singled to drive him in. Shin-Soo Choo homered in the top of the sixth to score the second Reds run.

Alfredo Simon came in to pitch for Cincinnati in the fourth inning, and pitched three innings, giving up the two run homer to Harper. J. J. Hoover and Sean Marshall threw the seventh and eighth for the Reds, neither of whom gave up any runs.

The Reds threatened in the top of the seventh when Zach Duke was on the mound. Jay Bruce made it to second base on a throwing error from Danny Espinosa. Duke walked Xavier Paul and got Hannahan to strike out. Bruce advanced to third on Devin Mesoraco’s deep fly out. Davey Johnson replaced Duke with Tyler Clippard, who was a bit shaky in his outing. The first batter he faced, Todd Frazier, singled Bruce home. Clippard then walked Choo to load the bases before getting Zack Cozart to hit the deep fly ball that was tracked down by Span to save two or three runs. The Nats were out of the jam and the Nats did not really threaten again.

Drew Storen pitched a scoreless eighth inning, and Rafael Soriano threw a scoreless ninth for his seventh save of the season.

Next Game: Sunday April 28th at 1:35 p.m. Ross Detwiler (1-1, 1.38 ERA) starts for Washington, while Tony Cingrani (1-0, 2.25 ERA) will start for Cincinnati, in a game that promises a good pitching matchup.

Apr 11, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Dan Haren (15) throws during the second inning against the Chicago White Sox at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

The Washington Nationals finished their interleague series against the Chicago White Sox at Nationals Park with a win, sweeping the series from the Sox.

Dan Haren pitched his second game as a Nat, and his outing was much better than his first one against the Reds. Haren got through five innings, giving up three runs and recorded his first win as a National. Dylan Axelrod started for the White Sox, and didn’t get out of the fourth inning. Both pitchers gave up numerous hits and had base runners on in almost every inning, and both pitchers ran up high pitch counts early. Axelrod threw 103 pitches in four and 2/3 innings, and Haren was over one hundred pitches by the time he finished pitching the fifth inning. The game featured 10 hits by the Nats and 13 hits by the White Sox.

The Nationals got the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning when Jayson Werth got a single, Ryan Zimmerman walked and Adam LaRoche hit an RBI single. The White Sox answered right back in the top of the second on an RBI groundout by Tyler Flowers after Paul Konerko had singled and Conor Gillaspie doubled.

The Nats broke the tie in the bottom of the third scoring two runs on an RBI single by Bryce Harper, walks drawn by Ryan Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche, and a sacrifice fly by Ian Desmond. Once again Chicago answered right back with two runs of their own in the top of the fourth on a single by Gillaspie, a bunt single by the pitcher Axelrod, and RBI single by Alejandro De Aza and an RBI single by Jeff Keppinger. That tied the score 3-3.

The score changed again in the bottom of the fourth when the Nats went ahead for good. Dan Haren helped his own cause by cracking a double, going to third on a single by Werth and scoring on a wild pitch thrown by Axelrod when he was facing Harper. Axelrod then intentionally walked Harper to pitch to Ryan Zimmerman. White Sox manager Robin Ventura wanted the right on right matchup against Zimmerman. Ryan made Ventura pay for that decision. The wind was blowing in all night, and fly balls were getting knocked down in the outfield. No one hit a home run. Zimmerman laced a line drive down the right field line, keeping the ball down below the jet stream for a double and two RBI’s. That ended Axelrod’s night.

With the Nats ahead by three runs, Haren came out to pitch the fifth inning to try to get the win.
He got through the inning without allowing a run and was in line for the win. Ryan Mattheus came in to pitch the sixth for the Nats. He allowed a single to De Aza and walked Alex Rios, then gave up an RBI double to Adam Dunn. Mattheus had not pitched for awhile, and he is a pitcher that has better control with regular work. Consequently, when Mattheus came out to pitch the seventh, he had better control of his pitches and had a three up, three down inning.

Tyler Clippard pitched the eighth inning, throwing eleven pitches to get three outs. Rafael Soriano notched his fifth save of the season, getting through the heart of the White Sox order in the ninth without damage.  Ryan Mattheus received a shaving cream pie in the face during his post-game interview courtesy of Drew Storen.

Next Game: Friday April 12th at 7:05 p.m. The Nationals home stand continues when the Atlanta Braves come to town for a three game series. The Nats send Ross Detwiler (0-0, 0.00 ERA) to the mound, while Atlanta’s starter will be Julio Teheran (0-0, 9.00 ERA)