Washington Nationals
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Washington Nationals (17-7) at Kansas City Royals (13-11) LHP Gio Gonzalez [1-1, 1.42] | RHP Edinson Volquez [3-1, 3.34] Monday, May 2 l Game #25 / Road #13 l Kauffman Stadium l Kansas City, MO l 7:15 P.M. Television: MASN l Radio: 99.1 FM & Nationals Radio Network Standing: 17-7,1st place, National League East • Home: 8-4 • Road: 9-3 • Streak: W3 • Last Five: 3-2 • Last Ten: 6-4 NATIONALS NEWS OPPONENT SWEEPING CHANGE KANSAS CITY ROYALS The Nationals topped the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-1, yesterday afternoon and, in doing so, com- The Nationals visit Kauffman Stadium for the second time in team history (2005-pres.)... pleted their first sweep of the Cardinals in St. Louis in team history (2005-pres.)...In addition, Washington and Kansas City were American League foes from 1969-71...In that three-year it was the Nationals’ first series win against the Cardinals in St. Louis since May 2007...Wash- span, the Senators twice posted a better record than the Royals, but KC won 22 of 36 head- ington outscored St. Louis, 17-6, while clubbing six home runs during the three-game set. to-head contests...Both towns, Kansas City (Monarchs) and Washington (Homestead Grays, • RHP Max Scherzer (7.0 IP, 4 H, 9 SO) earned the win Sunday afternoon and has now half schedule), sport extensive and important Negro League DNA...Nationals bench coach recorded at least one win against 29 of the 30 Major League Baseball teams...He has never Chris Speier was a starter for the National League in the 1973 All-Star Game, played at beaten his former club, the Detroit Tigers, who visit Washington next week. Royals Stadium in Kansas City...LHP Gio Gonzalez, OF Bryce Harper, RHP Stephen Stras- • OF Matt den Dekker put the Nationals ahead, 1-0, in the sixth inning with an RBI-single... burg and former SS Ian Desmond represented WSH in the 2012 All-Star Game in Kansas The Nationals tacked on in the seventh inning with back-to-back home runs by 1B Clint City, while RHP Jonathan Papelbon made it as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies. Robinson and SS Danny Espinosa. THE SERIES I PLAY THE ROAD The Nationals have won both Interleague series played between the two clubs since 2005... Washington continues its 10-game, three-city trip today in Kansas City as the Nationals begin Washington took two out of three from Kansas City, June 21-23, 2010 at Nationals Park and a three-game set against the defending World Series Champions. two out of three, August 23-25, 2013 at Kauffman Stadium. • Washington’s current road trip took them from St. Louis, across the state to Kansas City be- fore they Nationals will head to Chicago on Thursday for a four-game series with the Cubs. 2016 / BY THE NUMBERS • This is the first of two 10-game road trips for Washington in 2016...The Nationals will travel 2016 W-L ..........................................................................0-0 (0-0 in D.C., 0-0 in Kansas City) to San Diego (4 G), Los Angeles (3 G) and Milwaukee (3 G) from June 16-26. Streak ........................................................................................................................................ Aggregate Score / 2016 ..........................................................................Nationals 0, Royals 0 BEST (NATIONALS) START EVER Home Runs Hit / 2016 .............................................................................Nationals 0, Royals 0 At 17-7 (.708), the Nationals boast the second-best record in Major League Baseball (Chicago Cubs, 17-6, .739), and the are in the midst of the best start in Nationals history (2005-pres.) ALL-TIME SERIES / BY THE NUMBERS through 24 games. W-L / Nationals (2005-present) ............................................................................................4-2 • The17-7 record is the best start in Nationals history (2005-pres.) through the first 24 games W-L / Home (2005-present) ..................................................................................................2-1 and it matches the best record in Nationals/Expos history...The 1979 Expos also went W-L / Nationals Park (2008-present) ....................................................................................2-1 17-7...The 1932 Senators boast the best record for a D.C.-based team through the first W-L / Away (2005-present) ...................................................................................................2-1 24 games at 19-5. W-L / Franchise (Expos/Nationals) .......................................................................................9-3 CLOSING IN ON No. 1,000 2016 AGAINST THE ROYALS DATE RESULT WIN-LOSS-SV TOG DATE RESULT WIN-LOSS-SV TOG 2B Daniel Murphy has hit safely in 20 of his 23 games played, including 11 multi-hit efforts, 5/2@ tied for second in the National League. 5/3@ • Murphy ranks third in Major League Baseball in batting average (.365) and ninth in on-base 5/4@ percentage (.426). • With 998, Murphy is just two hits shy of reaching the 1,000 hit mark...According to Stats TRANSACTIONS AND DISABLED LIST LLC., he will become the 10th player to collect his 1,000th hit as a member of the Wash- 3/21 ...Reassigned RHP Erik Davis, RHP Michael Brady and RHP Burke Badenhop to Minor League camp. ington Nationals, joining: 3/23 ...Reassigned RHP Lucas Giolito to Minor League camp. 3/25 ...Outrighted INF/OF Tyler Moore off the 40-man roster to Triple-A Syracuse. PLAYER DATE 3/27 ...Acquired Minor League 1B Nate Freiman from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for INF/OF Tyler Moore. 1. Jose Guillen 9/9/2005 3/28 ...Optioned RHP Rafael Martin and INF Trea Turner to Triple-A Syracuse...Reassigned LHP Aaron Laf- 2. Alfonso Soriano 6/29/2006 fey, RHP Nick Masset, OF Tony Campana, INF Scott Sizemore and C Jhonatan Solano to Minor 3. Cristian Guzman 6/1/2007 League camp. 4. Aaron Boone 6/25/2008 3/29 ...Selected the contract of RHP Matt Belisle to the 40-man roster. 5. Adam Dunn 5/26/2009 3/30 ...Released and subsequently re-signed RHP Bronson Arroyo and RHP Burke Badenhop to minor 6. Adam LaRoche 5/16/2012 league contracts. 4/1 .....Optioned OF Matt den Dekker and RHP Trevor Gott to Triple-A Syracuse...Selected the contract of OF 7. Ryan Zimmerman 6/26/2012 Chris Heisey to the 40-man roster...Placed RHP Aaron Barrett on the 60-day disabled list. 8. Jayson Werth 8/10/2013 4/3 .....Granted OF Reed Johnson and LHP Sean Burnett their unconditional release...Reassigned INF 9. Denard Span 9/5/2014 Brendan Ryan to Minor League camp. 4/6 .....Recalled OF Matt den Dekker from Triple-A Syracuse...Placed OF Ben Revere on the 15-day disabled START ME UP list (retro to April 5) with a right oblique strain. Through the season’s first 24 games, the Nationals’ pitching staff, as a whole, leads Major 4/26 ...Recalled C Pedro Severino from Triple-A Syracuse...Placed C Wilson Ramos on the bereavement list. League Baseball with a 2.30 ERA...The staff also ranks in MLB in opp. slugging percentage 4/27 ...Recalled LHP Sammy Solis from Triple-A Syracuse...Places RHP Matt Belisle on the 15-day disabled list with a right calf strain. (2nd, .313), opp. average (2nd, .213), opp. OPS (2nd. 589), opp. OBP (2nd, .276), hits/9.0 5/1 .....Activated C Rilson Ramos from the bereavement list...Optioned C Pedro Severino to Triple-A Syracuse. innings (2nd, 6.87), WHIP (2nd, 1.06), HR/9.0 innings (2nd, 0.61) and strikeouts (3rd, 217). • The Nationals boast three starting pitchers in the top 10 in ERA in the National League: DISABLED LIST LHP Gio Gonzalez (4th, 1.42), RHP Tanner Roark (8th, 2.03) and RHP Stephen Stras- PLAYER INJURY 15/60 DL PLACED / RETRO REINSTATED #GAMES Aaron Barrett R elbow UCL surgery 60 April 1 24 burg (9th, 2.25)...Further, RHP Joe Ross, whose 0.79 ERA would rank second in the NL, Ben Revere Right oblique strain 15 April 6/April 5 23 falls just short of qualifying to be among league leaders. Matt Belisle Right calf strain 15 April 27 5 • Since April 23rd, Mike Maddux’s pitching staff leads Major League Baseball with 94 strike- outs, ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers (88). IN THE COMMUNITY • In their last turn through the rotation (4/27-5/1), Nationals starters went 3-1 with a 1.08 ERA May 9 (4 ER/33.1 IP), striking out 33 batters while walking just eight. DCPS Day - The Washington Nationals celebrate D.C. public school students, teachers and administrators with DCPS Day. The team donates tickets and recognizes the school system THE DEFENSE (NEVER) RESTS in pregame ceremonies. The Nationals have committed the fewest errors (8) in National League and are tied with the Kansas City Royals for the fewest in MLB...Washington’s .991 team fielding percentage is May 10 the best in MLB ahead of KCR (.990) and SFG (.990)...The Nationals also rank sixth in the U.S. Navy Day - The Nationals dedicate one game a year to each of the five branches of the National League with 25 double plays. military. The team works closely with military partners to highlight the individuals and ideals • According to Baseball Prospectus, the Nationals rank second (.733) in the National League that are unique to each branch. and fourth in Major League Baseball in “Defensive Efficiency” (the rate at which balls put into play are converted into outs) behind only the Chicago Cubs (.751) in the NL...In com- parison, the 2015 Nationals ranked 21st in MLB in Defensive Efficiency at .700. DATE IN NATIONALS HISTORY POP FROM THE TOP MAY 2 (8-3 on this date) CF Michael A. Taylor took the third pitch of the game from RHP Mike Leake and drove it into 2012: Trailing 4-3 with two outs in the ninth, Ian Desmond hit a two-run walk-off home run and the St.