Latest News Updates

The Juice: Nelson Cruz matches career high eight RBIs, Pujols stays hot in Seattle (Big League Stew)

The Juice is back for its fifth season of fun! Stop by each weekday (and now on Saturdays) for an ample serving of news from the action, plus great photos, stats and video highlights. Friday night Cruz: There's something about Friday night that brings out the best in Nelson Cruz. On three different Fridays last season, Cruz drove in at least six runs, topping out with eight against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 22. Guess who caught the brunt of it again this particular Friday? Yes, those same Blues Jays. Cruz matched his career-high RBI total from last season's matchup, clearing the bases with a double in the first, singling home one in the sixth, and capping his big night with a grand slam in the seventh. He was a one-man show, but Josh Hamilton added a solo shot — ending his two week drought — just for good measure as the Rangers rolled, 14-3 . Lester losing luster: Tempers flared in the ninth inning at Fenway Park, but most of the offensive fireworks came well before that as the Tampa Bay Rays lit up John Lester for seven runs in four innings. The biggest blow came via a Matt Joyce third inning grand slam. Elliot Johnson and Carlos Pena later added solo shots as the Rays cruised to a 7-4 win .

 

Nationals-Braves Preview (The Associated Press)

The Washington Nationals got the best of the slumping Atlanta Braves in the opener of a three-game set between the top two teams in the NL East.

 

Wang gets win in relief as Nats beat Braves 7-4 (The Associated Press)

ATLANTA (AP) Davey Johnson was frustrated Ross Detwiler wasn't attacking Atlanta's hitters when given a four-run lead in the first inning.

 

Nationals Head to Atlanta for Important Division Battle: A Fan’s View (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

The Washington Nationals head south to Atlanta for their first games of the season against the Braves, and first place will be on the line. The Nats enter the series on top in the NL East, and it's been neck-and-neck with the Braves who currently sit one game back.

 

Vision training program at Cincinnati gets notice (The Associated Press)

CINCINNATI (AP) University of Cincinnati outfielder Justin Glass tosses a plastic, colored ball to infielder Joey Bielek, who's sitting a few feet away wearing strobe goggles that blind him for fractions of a second.

 

Hamels avoids Harper controversy, mows down Nats (The SportsXchange)

While the rest of the baseball world waited with baited breath on Wednesday night to see the rematch of Cole Hamels vs. Bryce Harper, the Phillies left-handed starter seemed disinterested in fanning the flames of hype beforehand.

 

Hamels pitches 8 shutout innings, Phils beat Nats (The Associated Press)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Cole Hamels didn't hit any Washington batters this time, and the Nationals hitters barely touched Hamels.

 

Selig: No need for more MLB replay for now (The Associated Press)

DE PERE, Wis. (AP) Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig says he doesn't think more video review of umpires' calls is needed, at least not right now.

 

The Juice: Bryce Harper’s triple against Halladay keys Nats win, Dodgers roar back (Big League Stew)

The Juice is back for its fifth season of fun! Stop by each weekday for an ample serving of news from the action, plus great photos, stats and video highlights. Three years in the making: Bryce Harper hit his third triple of the season already, and he drove in two runs against Roy Halladay to lead the Washington Nationals to a 5-2 victory at Philadelphia on Tuesday night. The 19-year-old said in Mark Zuckerman's Nats Insider — in a post titled "Broad Street Beatdown" — that he's actually been scouting Halladay for three years and he couldn't wait to exploit a perceived weakness. Harper's two-run triple put the Nats ahead in the third inning and keyed their sixth straight victory at Citizens Bank Park. "I've been watching him for about three years," Harper said. "He throws a first-pitch curveball to so many people, and they just let it get over the plate. So I was just really trying to get something up in that situation and get something going. We had two guys on, and you had to get them in." Halladay, who came in with a dominating record against Washington, reflected on what's going wrong in Philly , which has lost four straight and is 21-23 overall. Dodger time: The injury riddled Los Angeles Dodgers improved to 30-13 by picking up an unlikely 8-7 victory at Arizona. Ivan DeJesus muscled-up for a two-out, two-run, go-ahead double in the ninth against closer J.J. Putz, and shortstop Dee Gordon hung in there on defense to help turn an acrobatic game-ending double play with runners at the corners in the bottom of the ninth. Arizona squandered a five-run lead in the seventh, and is 11 1/2 games out of first place. The Dodgers are 7-2 without Matt Kemp in the lineup. Waino bueno once again: Adam Wainwright tossed his first shutout since August 2010, a 4-0 victory against San Diego , which gave the St. Louis Cardinals' top starter a big sense of relief. Wainwright said he told teammate Jake Westbrook this might be the best feeling he's ever had pitching — which is saying something given Wainwright's accomplishments. Waino missed the 2011 season because of Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery:

 

Committee replaces Rodriguez as Nationals' closer (The SportsXchange)

Washington Nationals manager Davey Johnson made a tough decision Tuesday when it came to the closer's job.