WASHINGTON — Yunesky Maya didn’t know for sure whether he’d even be added to the Washington Nationals roster when he arrived at Nationals Park on Saturday. When he left, he’d earned his first major league win.

The Nationals brought Maya to Washington as a back-up plan in case they traded scheduled starter Jason Marquis. When a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks went through before the game, Maya was officially called up from Triple-A Syracuse and pitched 5 1-3 scoreless innings in a 3-0 victory over the New York Mets.

“Maya showed up, I think like an hour and two minutes before his start, and he went out there and under the circumstances pitched great,” said Jayson Werth, who provided the Nationals’ offense with a three-run home run in the first inning. “He got the win, and we needed it. We’ve been reeling a little bit, and it’s a step in the right direction.”

He walked into the Nationals clubhouse in street clothes about an hour before game time and about 45 minutes before Washington publicly announced the trade. The late notice didn’t seem to affect him as he retired the first seven batters and didn’t allow a hit until David Wright singled with two outs in the fourth.

“It was a little hard, but in a way I was ready for it,” Maya said through an interpreter. “They told me to come up here and I might be able to start. Nothing was for sure, but I was ready.”

Maya, who made his major league debut with Washington last season, was making his fourth start of the season and 10th of his career. He entered the game with an 0-4 career record.

Although he ended up with the win, the outing didn’t end quite the way he wanted. In the fifth inning, Maya hurt his back on the base paths trying to avoid a tag. He came back out to the mound for the sixth but gave up consecutive one-out singles to Daniel Murphy and Wright, leading Nationals manager Davey Johnson to bring in reliever Ross Detwiler, who promptly got Angel Pagan to ground into a double play.

After the game Johnson said Maya had strained his oblique muscle and may need to go on the disabled list. Maya, however, said he felt he would be fine and termed his status day to day.

Drew Storen pitched the ninth for his 26th save in 29 chances, although he gave up a walk and two singles, loading the bases with two outs. Pinch-hitter Willie Harris stuck out looking on a slider to end the game.

“The strike-three pitch was a straight-up pitcher’s pitch,” Harris said. “Good pitch, all I can really say.”

Washington grabbed the lead in the first inning. Rick Ankiel led off with a single against R.A. Dickey (5-9) and advanced to third on a sacrifice and wild pitch. Dickey walked Michael Morse to put runners on the corners for Werth, who drove a 3-2 knuckleball deep to center field for his 12th home run of the season.

“If I had three pitches back, wed still be playing,” Dickey said.

New York had perhaps its best offensive chance in the fifth. A pair of two-out singles by Josh Thole and Dickey brought up Jose Reyes with runners on first and second. Reyes hit a ball deep to right-center but Werth caught it on the warning track to end the inning.

The Mets were shutout for the fifth time this season and ended a five-game winning streak.

Washington snapped a six-game losing streak, its longest of the season, on a day when two veterans were traded. In addition to Marquis, utilityman Jerry Hairston Jr. was sent to Milwaukee before the game.

“That’s part of baseball, but it’s never easy on a ballclub because you have a lot of attachments,” Johnson said. “You talk to two guys and tell them they’re going somewhere, that’s never easy for the manager. But the players responded.”

NOTES: The Nationals received OF Erik Komatsu, who was with Double-A Huntsville, from the Brewers for Hairston. Washington recalled OF Brian Bixler from Triple-A Syracuse to fill Hairston’s roster spot. … Storen, who has been the subject of trade rumors, said he hoped he’d stay in Washington. “I know Ive only been here for about a year and a half, but emotionally, Ive invested a lot in this,” Storen said. … Wright had two singles, giving him a career-high seven consecutive multihit games. Wright has a hit in all nine games since he returned from the disabled list (lower back stress fracture) on July 22.

R.A. Dickey had another strong start for the New York Mets. Once again, he didn’t end up with the outcome he wanted.

Dickey allowed six hits in six innings, including a three-run home run by Jayson Werth in the first, and the Washington Nationals beat the Mets 3-0 Saturday night.

It was the 17th time in 22 starts Dickey (5-9) has gone at least six innings. He has a 3.77 ERA this season but has just one win in his last six starts.

“It’s frustrating, but it’s more than that,” Dickey said. “I expect more when I look at my name and see that stat line by it. I just do. So, it’s painful to look down there and know you haven’t contributed to more wins.”

The Mets offense was shut down by Nationals starter Yunesky Maya, who was called up from Triple-A Syracuse before the game to fill in for scheduled starter Jason Marquis, who was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks before the game.

Maya (1-1) allowed five hits in 5 1-3 scoreless innings and earned his first career win in 10 starts. He entered the Nationals clubhouse in street clothes about an hour before gametime and about 45 minutes before Washington announced the trade. The late notice didn’t seem to affect him as he retired the first seven batters and didn’t allow a hit until David Wright singled with two outs in the fourth.

New York manager Terry Collins said the late switch probably didn’t change the outcome, it put the Mets at a disadvantage.

“In terms of preparation, it is,” Collins said. “There’s no question to me. We’re waiting to find out who it is, but I know (Nationals manager) Davey (Johnson) well enough to know that if he could’ve done it any other way, he would’ve.”

The Mets were shutout for the fifth time this season and ended a five-game winning streak.

Maya gave up consecutive one-out singles in the sixth to Daniel Murphy and Wright, leading Nationals manager Davey Johnson to bring in reliever Ross Detwiler, who promptly got Angel Pagan to ground into a double play.

New York had perhaps its best offensive chance in the fifth. A pair of two-out singles by Josh Thole and Dickey brought up Jose Reyes with runners on first and second. Reyes hit a ball deep to right-center but Werth caught it on the warning track to end the inning and get Maya out of the jam.

“He just moved his pitches,” said Josh Thole, who had two hits. “We hit the ball pretty good off him. We put some good swings on the ball, just right at guys.”

The Mets rallied in the ninth, but fell short against Nationals closer Drew Storen (26th save). Wright led off with a walk, and Thole and Jason Bay each singled to load the bases with two outs for pinch-hitter Willie Harris, who struck out looking on a slider to end the game.

“The strike-three pitch was a straight-up pitcher’s pitch,” Harris said. “Good pitch, all I can really say. Good pitch.

“It could’ve been arguably low, but it could’ve been arguably there,” Harris said. “So, I’m not complaining about the call the umpire made.”

Washington grabbed the lead in the first inning. Rick Ankiel led off with a single against Dickey and advanced to third on a sacrifice and wild pitch. Dickey walked Michael Morse to put runners on the corners for Werth, who drove a 3-2 pitch deep to center field for his 12th home run of the season.

“If I had three pitches back, we’d still be playing,” Dickey said.

The Nationals snapped a six-game losing streak, their longest of the season.

NOTES: The Nationals traded utilityman Jerry Hairston Jr. to Milwaukee for OF Erik Komatsu, who was with Double-A Huntsville. Washington recalled OF Brian Bixler from Triple-A Syracuse to fill Hairston’s roster spot. … Wright had two singles, giving him a career-high seven consecutive multihit games. Wright has a hit in all nine games since he returned from the disabled list (lower back stress fracture) on July 22.

It was the 17th time in 22 starts Dickey (5-9) has gone at least six innings. He has a 3.77 ERA this season but has just one win in his last six starts.

“It’s frustrating, but it’s more than that,” Dickey said. “I expect more when I look at my name and see that stat line by it. I just do. So, it’s painful to look down there and know you haven’t contributed to more wins.”

The Mets offense was shut down by Nationals starter Yunesky Maya, who was called up from Triple-A Syracuse before the game to fill in for scheduled starter Jason Marquis, who was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks before the game.

Maya (1-1) allowed five hits in 5 1-3 scoreless innings and earned his first career win in 10 starts. He entered the Nationals clubhouse in street clothes about an hour before gametime and about 45 minutes before Washington announced the trade. The late notice didn’t seem to affect him as he retired the first seven batters and didn’t allow a hit until David Wright singled with two outs in the fourth.

New York manager Terry Collins said the late switch probably didn’t change the outcome, it put the Mets at a disadvantage.

“In terms of preparation, it is,” Collins said. “There’s no question to me. We’re waiting to find out who it is, but I know (Nationals manager) Davey (Johnson) well enough to know that if he could’ve done it any other way, he would’ve.”

The Mets were shutout for the fifth time this season and ended a five-game winning streak.

Maya gave up consecutive one-out singles in the sixth to Daniel Murphy and Wright, leading Nationals manager Davey Johnson to bring in reliever Ross Detwiler, who promptly got Angel Pagan to ground into a double play.

New York had perhaps its best offensive chance in the fifth. A pair of two-out singles by Josh Thole and Dickey brought up Jose Reyes with runners on first and second. Reyes hit a ball deep to right-center but Werth caught it on the warning track to end the inning and get Maya out of the jam.

“He just moved his pitches,” said Josh Thole, who had two hits. “We hit the ball pretty good off him. We put some good swings on the ball, just right at guys.”

The Mets rallied in the ninth, but fell short against Nationals closer Drew Storen (26th save). Wright led off with a walk, and Thole and Jason Bay each singled to load the bases with two outs for pinch-hitter Willie Harris, who struck out looking on a slider to end the game.

“The strike-three pitch was a straight-up pitcher’s pitch,” Harris said. “Good pitch, all I can really say. Good pitch.

“It could’ve been arguably low, but it could’ve been arguably there,” Harris said. “So, I’m not complaining about the call the umpire made.”

Washington grabbed the lead in the first inning. Rick Ankiel led off with a single against Dickey and advanced to third on a sacrifice and wild pitch. Dickey walked Michael Morse to put runners on the corners for Werth, who drove a 3-2 pitch deep to center field for his 12th home run of the season.

“If I had three pitches back, we’d still be playing,” Dickey said.

The Nationals snapped a six-game losing streak, their longest of the season.

NOTES: The Nationals traded utilityman Jerry Hairston Jr. to Milwaukee for OF Erik Komatsu, who was with Double-A Huntsville. Washington recalled OF Brian Bixler from Triple-A Syracuse to fill Hairston’s roster spot. … Wright had two singles, giving him a career-high seven consecutive multihit games. Wright has a hit in all nine games since he returned from the disabled list (lower back stress fracture) on July 22.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

“Maya showed up, I think like an hour and two minutes before his start, and he went out there and under the circumstances pitched great,” said Jayson Werth, who provided the Nationals’ offense with a three-run home run in the first inning. “He got the win, and we needed it. We’ve been reeling a little bit, and it’s a step in the right direction.”

He walked into the Nationals clubhouse in street clothes about an hour before game time and about 45 minutes before Washington publicly announced the trade. The late notice didn’t seem to affect him as he retired the first seven batters and didn’t allow a hit until David Wright singled with two outs in the fourth.

“It was a little hard, but in a way I was ready for it,” Maya said through an interpreter. “They told me to come up here and I might be able to start. Nothing was for sure, but I was ready.”

Maya, who made his major league debut with Washington last season, was making his fourth start of the season and 10th of his career. He entered the game with an 0-4 career record.

Although he ended up with the win, the outing didn’t end quite the way he wanted. In the fifth inning, Maya hurt his back on the basepaths trying to avoid a tag. He came back out to the mound for the sixth but gave up consecutive one-out singles to Daniel Murphy and Wright, leading Nationals manager Davey Johnson to bring in reliever Ross Detwiler, who promptly got Angel Pagan to ground into a double play.

After the game Johnson said Maya had strained his oblique muscle and may need to go on the disabled list. Maya, however, said he felt he would be fine and termed his status day to day.

Drew Storen pitched the ninth for his 26th save in 29 chances, although he gave up a walk and two singles, loading the bases with two outs. Pinch-hitter Willie Harris stuck out looking on a slider to end the game.

“The strike-three pitch was a straight-up pitcher’s pitch,” Harris said. “Good pitch, all I can really say.”

Washington grabbed the lead in the first inning. Rick Ankiel led off with a single against R.A. Dickey (5-9) and advanced to third on a sacrifice and wild pitch. Dickey walked Michael Morse to put runners on the corners for Werth, who drove a 3-2 knuckleball deep to center field for his 12th home run of the season.

“If I had three pitches back, we

New York had perhaps its best offensive chance in the fifth. A pair of two-out singles by Josh Thole and Dickey brought up Jose Reyes with runners on first and second. Reyes hit a ball deep to right-center but Werth caught it on the warning track to end the inning.

The Mets were shutout for the fifth time this season and ended a five-game winning streak.

Washington snapped a six-game losing streak, its longest of the season, on a day when two veterans were traded. In addition to Marquis, utilityman Jerry Hairston Jr. was sent to Milwaukee before the game.

“That’s part of baseball, but it’s never easy on a ballclub because you have a lot of attachments,” Johnson said. “You talk to two guys and tell them they’re going somewhere, that’s never easy for the manager. But the players responded.”

NOTES: The Nationals received OF Erik Komatsu, who was with Double-A Huntsville, from the Brewers for Hairston. Washington recalled OF Brian Bixler from Triple-A Syracuse to fill Hairston’s roster spot. … Storen, who has been the subject of trade rumors, said he hoped he’d stay in Washington. “I know I

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Yunesky Maya didn’t know for sure whether he’d even be added to the Washington Nationals roster when he arrived at Nationals Park on Saturday. When he left, he’d earned his first major league win.

The Nationals brought Maya to Washington as a back-up plan in case they traded scheduled starter Jason Marquis. When a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks went through before the game, Maya was officially called up from Triple-A Syracuse and pitched 5 1-3 scoreless innings in a 3-0 victory over the New York Mets.

“Maya showed up, I think like an hour and two minutes before his start, and he went out there and under the circumstances pitched great,” said Jayson Werth, who provided the Nationals’ offense with a three-run home run in the first inning. “He got the win, and we needed it. We’ve been reeling a little bit, and it’s a step in the right direction.”

He walked into the Nationals clubhouse in street clothes about an hour before game time and about 45 minutes before Washington publicly announced the trade. The late notice didn’t seem to affect him as he retired the first seven batters and didn’t allow a hit until David Wright singled with two outs in the fourth.

“It was a little hard, but in a way I was ready for it,” Maya said through an interpreter. “They told me to come up here and I might be able to start. Nothing was for sure, but I was ready.”

Maya, who made his major league debut with Washington last season, was making his fourth start of the season and 10th of his career. He entered the game with an 0-4 career record.

Although he ended up with the win, the outing didn’t end quite the way he wanted. In the fifth inning, Maya hurt his back on the basepaths trying to avoid a tag. He came back out to the mound for the sixth but gave up consecutive one-out singles to Daniel Murphy and Wright, leading Nationals manager Davey Johnson to bring in reliever Ross Detwiler, who promptly got Angel Pagan to ground into a double play.

After the game Johnson said Maya had strained his oblique muscle and may need to go on the disabled list. Maya, however, said he felt he would be fine and termed his status day to day.

Drew Storen pitched the ninth for his 26th save in 29 chances, although he gave up a walk and two singles, loading the bases with two outs. Pinch-hitter Willie Harris stuck out looking on a slider to end the game.

“The strike-three pitch was a straight-up pitcher’s pitch,” Harris said. “Good pitch, all I can really say.”

Washington grabbed the lead in the first inning. Rick Ankiel led off with a single against R.A. Dickey (5-9) and advanced to third on a sacrifice and wild pitch. Dickey walked Michael Morse to put runners on the corners for Werth, who drove a 3-2 knuckleball deep to center field for his 12th home run of the season.

“If I had three pitches back, we

New York had perhaps its best offensive chance in the fifth. A pair of two-out singles by Josh Thole and Dickey brought up Jose Reyes with runners on first and second. Reyes hit a ball deep to right-center but Werth caught it on the warning track to end the inning.

The Mets were shutout for the fifth time this season and ended a five-game winning streak.

Washington snapped a six-game losing streak, its longest of the season, on a day when two veterans were traded. In addition to Marquis, utilityman Jerry Hairston Jr. was sent to Milwaukee before the game.

“That’s part of baseball, but it’s never easy on a ballclub because you have a lot of attachments,” Johnson said. “You talk to two guys and tell them they’re going somewhere, that’s never easy for the manager. But the players responded.”

NOTES: The Nationals received OF Erik Komatsu, who was with Double-A Huntsville, from the Brewers for Hairston. Washington recalled OF Brian Bixler from Triple-A Syracuse to fill Hairston’s roster spot. … Storen, who has been the subject of trade rumors, said he hoped he’d stay in Washington. “I know I

July 29, 2011

Mets spoil Wang’s return in 8-5 win over Nationals

Anonymous

Associated Press

Fri Jul 29, 2011, 11:49 PM EDT

WASHINGTON — Chien-Ming Wang’s return to the big leagues was a short and unpleasant one.

Two years to the day after he had shoulder surgery, the right-hander finally started for the Washington Nationals on Friday night, and gave up six runs to the New York Mets before leaving after four innings.

He walked Jose Reyes to leadoff the game and the Mets followed with four consecutive singles, eventually scoring four times in the first inning.

When the damaged was finally done, Wang was charged with four earned run on eight hits in four innings in his first start July 4, 2009, when he was a member of the New York Yankees.

He threw 60 pitches, walked one and struck out two.

Wang has since been recovering from surgery to repair a torn capsule in his right shoulder. A two-time 19-game winner, his career record is 55-26 with a 4.16 ERA in 109 games.

Signed by the Nationals in February 2010, Wang made six rehab starts before being activated from the 60-day disabled list.

To make room, outfielder Roger Bernandina was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.

Bernandina was hitting .247 with five homers, 20 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 71 games this season. Though he leads the team with 15 runs in July, the Nationals’ primary center fielder since Johnson was hired as manager was hitless over his last 20 at-bats. Johnson was optimistic that Bernandina would return soon and said sending down a position player was done in part to not overwork the Nationals’ taxed bullpen.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Chien-Ming Wang, of Taiwan, delivers his first pitch in more than two years against the New York Mets in the first inning of a baseball game at Nationals Park on Friday, July 29, 2011, in Washington. Wang is recovering from major shoulder surgery.

Chien-Ming Wang’s return to the big leagues was a short and unpleasant one.

Two years to the day after he had shoulder surgery, the right-hander finally started for the Washington Nationals on Friday night, and gave up six runs to the New York Mets before leaving after four innings.

He walked Jose Reyes to leadoff the game and the Mets followed with four consecutive singles, eventually scoring four times in the first inning.

When the damaged was finally done, Wang was charged with four earned run on eight hits in four innings in his first start July 4, 2009, when he was a member of the New York Yankees.

He threw 60 pitches, walked one and struck out two.

Wang has since been recovering from surgery to repair a torn capsule in his right shoulder. A two-time 19-game winner, his career record is 55-26 with a 4.16 ERA in 109 games.

Signed by the Nationals in February 2010, Wang made six rehab starts before being activated from the 60-day disabled list.

To make room, outfielder Roger Bernandina was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.

Bernandina was hitting .247 with five homers, 20 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 71 games this season. Though he leads the team with 15 runs in July, the Nationals’ primary center fielder since Johnson was hired as manager was hitless over his last 20 at-bats. Johnson was optimistic that Bernandina would return soon and said sending down a position player was done in part to not overwork the Nationals’ taxed bullpen.

“It was just kind of a strange day. We had opportunities, a couple mishaps,” Nationals Manager Davey Johnson said. “Things aren’t just going our way. That’s all I can tell you.”

Five Marlins relievers held the Washington Nationals to one run over the final 5 1-3 innings and Florida completed a three-game sweep.

The Nationals, who stranded 11 runners, have lost five straight and 8 of 11.

“We’re moving in the right direction, and sorry to the people out there that are tired of hearing it, but it’s true, and something good is about to come,” Ian Desmond said.

John Lannan (7-7) gave up four runs on five hits and four walks in 5 2-3 innings for Washington.

“That’s not typical of John Lannan,” Johnson said of Lannan’s struggles with his control. “I thought he had good stuff — and he did. But he was just all over the place.”

Jayson Werth had a pair of RBI singles for the Nationals, who are 9-17 under manager Davey Johnson.

“The last couple nights, I think we just lost focus a little bit, and we need to get back on track,” Werth said.

The Nationals trailed 3-1 after Stanton led off the sixth inning against Lannan and homered to center on a 2-2 pitch.

Stanton’s homer was his 24th of the season and fourth in his last six games. He has eight home runs and 14 RBIs in 12 career games at Nationals Park since 2010.

“He does a good job. (The Nationals) ought to trade for him,” Marlins Manager Jack McKeon joked. “They’d have to give up the Lincoln Memorial.”

Later in the inning, Emilio Bonifacio singled in a run off Nationals reliever Sean Burnett. Bonifacio extended his hitting streak to 26 games, the second-longest in club history.

“The kid’s got confidence because he knows he’s going to play everyday,” McKeon said. “Before, he was in and out of the lineup. When I got (here), I said ‘You’re going to play every day. You’re my leadoff guy, and here’s what I want you to do.’ And he’s having fun doing it.

“He’s really a great kid, and he wants to learn. He loves to play, and he’s very unselfish. I think everybody on the club’s rooting for him.”

Brian Sanches (4-1), the second Marlins reliever, pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings to earn the win.

“We’re playing good baseball now,” McKeon said after the Marlins improved to 52-53. “That’s the closest we’ve been in a long time. But that’s our goal, get to .500 and then hopefully we’ll roll.”

Florida pulled rookie left-hander Brad Hand, who was recalled from Double-A Jacksonville for Thursday’s start, after 3 2-3 innings. He allowed one run on three hits, but walked six batters, one intentionally.

The Marlins took a 1-0 lead when Bonifacio led off the third inning with a walk and later scored on Logan Morrison’s fielder’s choice. It was Morrison’s 26th RBI this month.

The Nationals tied it in their half of the third. With one out, Danny Espinosa walked, Ryan Zimmerman singled, and Michael Morse walked to load the bases. On a 3-0 pitch, Werth hit a blooper down the right field line that fell just fair beyond the reach of three Marlins, scoring Espinosa.

Zimmerman finished with four hits, matching his career high, and is 13 for 27 in his last six games.

The Marlins went ahead 2-1 in the fourth when Hand laid down a sacrifice bunt with Brett Hayes on first and Mike Cameron on third. Cameron ran down the third-base line part way on contact, scoring when Lannan fielded the bunt and threw to first without looking Cameron back.

“I should’ve looked, but when I have two guys screaming at me, ‘Throw one,’ I’m going to throw it to first,” Lannan said.

Notes: Washington RHP Chien-Ming Wang will start Friday against the Mets, his first major league start since July 4, 2009. Wang, who has been recovering from his 2009 shoulder surgery, will be activated from the disabled list Friday. His career record is 55-26 with a 4.16 ERA in 109 games. Washington manager Davey Johnson said Wang will be limited to 80-90 pitches. … Johnson said fifth starter Tom Gorzelanny, whose regular turn would have been Friday, is now the probable starter for Monday’s game against the Braves. … Florida 1B Gaby Sanchez sat for the third straight game with a tight left hamstring. … To make room on the roster for Hand, Florida optioned RHP Jose Ceda to Triple-A New Orleans. … In 2002, Luis Castillo set the Marlins record with a 35-game hitting streak. … Jonny Gomes batted sixth and played left field in his first action for the Nationals. He went 0 for 3 and was hit by a pitch.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

“I didn’t quite get it all,” said Nix, who had a home run earlier in the game. “I was begging for it to go, but it was just a hair short.”

Washington lost for the fourth straight time, its longest skid in more than two months, and fell to 9-16 under manager Davey Johnson.

“I don’t like to get beat,” Johnson said. “It’s something I don’t like. I like to sleep good at night, and I don’t sleep as good when we lose. I know these guys are capable of a lot more and I know it’s coming.”

Marlins starter Javier Vazquez (7-9) pitched seven strong innings and Emilio Bonifacio extended his hitting streak to 25 games as Florida appeared to have the game well in control after Mike Cameron hit his second home run in the ninth inning off Drew Storen to give the Marlins a 7-1 lead.

The Nationals’ only run through the first eight innings came on Nix’s long home run to right field — his 14th — leading off the bottom of the fourth, which cut the lead to 3-1.

Washington rallied off Steve Cishek in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Ian Desmond led off with a triple, and Cishek retired the next two batters before giving up a run-scoring single to Jerry Hairston, a walk to Alex Cora and an RBI-double to Ryan Zimmerman.

Cishek gave way to Leo Nunez, who allowed a two-run single to Michael Morse before getting Nix to fly to deep right for his 28th save in 31 chances.

“Little scary at the end,” Marlins manager Jack McKeon said.

Vazquez allowed one run and six hits in seven innings. It was the fifth time this season he’s gone seven. He struck out four and walked three.

Bonifacio singled off Ryan Mattheus in the eighth, tying the second-longest hit streak in club history. Cameron hit home runs in the eighth and ninth innings and drove in three.

John Buck gave Florida a 3-0 lead when he hit a bases-loaded single in the fourth off Livan Hernandez (5-10).

Hernandez was pulled after the first two batters of the fifth reached. It was the third time in his last seven starts he failed to make it through five innings.

Mike Stanton’s homer — his seventh in 11 games in Washington and 23rd of the season — put the Marlins ahead 1-0 in the second. Hanley Ramirez drove in Florida’s fourth run in the fifth on an RBI double.

Cameron’s homers gave Florida 13 in the last five games. The Marlins have hit multiple home runs in five straight games for just the second time in franchise history.

“We’re frustrated, but we’re also battling,” Storen said. “It would be easy to just roll over and feel sorry for ourselves and go home, but we’re battling and we’ll be out there every day playing hard.”

The Nationals will try to avoid the series sweep Thursday afternoon.

“We like the team we have,” Zimmerman said. “And if we win three or four in a row we’re right back where we need to be.”

NOTES: To make room for OF Jonny Gomes, acquired Tuesday from Cincinnati, the Nationals designated 43-year-old Matt Stairs for assignment. The all-time leader in pinch-hit home runs with 23, Stairs was just 6 for 39 as a pinch hitter this season without a homer. … The Marlins will recall LHP Brad Hand from Double-A Jacksonville to start Thursday afternoon’s game. Hand is 9-3 with a 3.81 ERA with Jacksonville, and 1-3 with a 2.77 ERA in five starts with Florida earlier this season. Florida optioned RHP Jose Ceda to Triple-A New Orleans. … McKeon said he hoped that RHP Josh Johnson (right shoulder) would pitch again this season despite reports that he was being shut down. Johnson hasn’t pitched since May 16. … Morse hit in his 10th straight game. … Bryce Harper, last year’s No. 1 draft choice, hit his first home run since joining Washington’s Double-A affiliate in Harrisburg earlier this month. … Florida 1B Gaby Sanchez sat for the second straight game with a tight left hamstring.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals’ offense didn’t start rolling until the ninth inning against the Florida Marlins, and their late rally ended two runs short when Laynce Nix’s deep fly ball settled into Mike Stanton’s glove on the warning track.

Down six runs going into the bottom of the ninth, Washington scored four. Nix’s deep shot with one man on and two outs appeared to have a chance to tie the game, but instead the Nationals fell to the Marlins 7-5 Wednesday night.

“I didn’t quite get it all,” said Nix, who had a home run earlier in the game. “I was begging for it to go, but it was just a hair short.”

Washington lost for the fourth straight time, its longest skid in more than two months, and fell to 9-16 under manager Davey Johnson.

“I don’t like to get beat,” Johnson said. “It’s something I don’t like. I like to sleep good at night, and I don’t sleep as good when we lose. I know these guys are capable of a lot more and I know it’s coming.”

Marlins starter Javier Vazquez (7-9) pitched seven strong innings and Emilio Bonifacio extended his hitting streak to 25 games as Florida appeared to have the game well in control after Mike Cameron hit his second home run in the ninth inning off Drew Storen to give the Marlins a 7-1 lead.

The Nationals’ only run through the first eight innings came on Nix’s long home run to right field — his 14th — leading off the bottom of the fourth, which cut the lead to 3-1.

Washington rallied off Steve Cishek in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Ian Desmond led off with a triple, and Cishek retired the next two batters before giving up a run-scoring single to Jerry Hairston, a walk to Alex Cora and an RBI-double to Ryan Zimmerman.

Cishek gave way to Leo Nunez, who allowed a two-run single to Michael Morse before getting Nix to fly to deep right for his 28th save in 31 chances.

“Little scary at the end,” Marlins manager Jack McKeon said.

Vazquez allowed one run and six hits in seven innings. It was the fifth time this season he’s gone seven. He struck out four and walked three.

Bonifacio singled off Ryan Mattheus in the eighth, tying the second-longest hit streak in club history. Cameron hit home runs in the eighth and ninth innings and drove in three.

John Buck gave Florida a 3-0 lead when he hit a bases-loaded single in the fourth off Livan Hernandez (5-10).

Hernandez was pulled after the first two batters of the fifth reached. It was the third time in his last seven starts he failed to make it through five innings.

Mike Stanton’s homer — his seventh in 11 games in Washington and 23rd of the season — put the Marlins ahead 1-0 in the second. Hanley Ramirez drove in Florida’s fourth run in the fifth on an RBI double.

Cameron’s homers gave Florida 13 in the last five games. The Marlins have hit multiple home runs in five straight games for just the second time in franchise history.

“We’re frustrated, but we’re also battling,” Storen said. “It would be easy to just roll over and feel sorry for ourselves and go home, but we’re battling and we’ll be out there every day playing hard.”

The Nationals will try to avoid the series sweep Thursday afternoon.

“We like the team we have,” Zimmerman said. “And if we win three or four in a row we’re right back where we need to be.”

NOTES: To make room for OF Jonny Gomes, acquired Tuesday from Cincinnati, the Nationals designated 43-year-old Matt Stairs for assignment. The all-time leader in pinch-hit home runs with 23, Stairs was just 6 for 39 as a pinch hitter this season without a homer. … The Marlins will recall LHP Brad Hand from Double-A Jacksonville to start Thursday afternoon’s game. Hand is 9-3 with a 3.81 ERA with Jacksonville, and 1-3 with a 2.77 ERA in five starts with Florida earlier this season. Florida optioned RHP Jose Ceda to Triple-A New Orleans. … McKeon said he hoped that RHP Josh Johnson (right shoulder) would pitch again this season despite reports that he was being shut down. Johnson hasn’t pitched since May 16. … Morse hit in his 10th straight game. … Bryce Harper, last year’s No. 1 draft choice, hit his first home run since joining Washington’s Double-A affiliate in Harrisburg earlier this month. … Florida 1B Gaby Sanchez sat for the second straight game with a tight left hamstring.

Their performance has separated this year from their past — the Nationals would have to finish 20-39 to fall to last season’s record. But their place in the standings, thanks in part to playing in the National League East, has not. The Nationals are 14-23 against division opponents, who combine for the best total record of any division.

“I think we’re frustrated,” closer Drew Storen said. “But I think we’re also battling. It would have been easy for us to roll over and feel bad for ourselves and go home. But we’re battling, and we’re going to go out there every day and play hard, and we’re going to turn this thing around.”

Storen had a particularly disappointing night. He entered in the ninth with the Nationals down 5-1, a non-save situation because he needed the work. He recorded two quick outs, including a strikeout, then gave up a soft single to Mike Stanton. He then threw a 3-1 fastball to Mike Cameron, who launched his second homer of the night over the left field fence.

“It’s just one pitch,” Storen said. “You get a broken-bat hit, and you get one pitch up in the zone. They capitalized on it. Everything else was good. Everything else was sharp. It was just one pitch, but that’s what happens when you pitch late in the game.”

The blast put the Nationals in a 7-1 hole, but their offense would soon give the deficit more than cosmetic meaning. Counting the first eight innings, the Nationals had produced four runs and 11 hits over three games. Manager Davey Johnson had rested four starters — Jayson Werth, Ian Desmond, Wilson Ramos and Roger Bernadina — in hopes of igniting something.

It didn’t work until the ninth. Against Marlins reliever Steve Cishek, Desmond came off the bench and led off with a triple to the right field corner. The Nationals kept rallying when Ryan Zimmerman’s ground-rule double scored a run, put two runners in scoring position and sliced the lead to 7-3. The Marlins brought in closer Leo Nunez, but Michael Morse followed with a two-RBI single.

Suddenly, the Nationals had brought the tying run to the plate. Nix had delivered the Nationals’ first run with a mammoth homer into the second deck in right field in the fourth inning. In the ninth, he took another wicked hack at a first-pitch change-up by Nunez. The ball screamed off the end of his bat toward right.

“I didn’t quite get it all,” Nix said. “I was just waiting for it to go. But it stayed short.”

Livan Hernandez lasted only four innings, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks. He had no feel for his sinker, he said, and that caused his pitch count to soar to 87. His start also continued a small trend. The Nationals’ rotation overachieved and carried the team for much of the season. During the losing streak, though, Nationals starters have allowed 18 earned runs in 19²/
₃ innings.

“Our pitching has kind of held us afloat all year,” Zimmerman said. “No one’s pitching is going to be consistent all year. They’ve done great. They’re walking more people than they did before. They know. Everyone knows. They’ve been the most consistent thing on this team all year. They’ve given us a chance to win every game. To go after them or attack them is ridiculous. They’ll get out of it.”

Hernandez is known as a workhorse, and he ended his night far earlier than usual. In the fifth inning, on his 87th pitch, Hernandez allowed a groundball single to Omar Infante that put runners on first and third with no outs. He had allowed three runs on three walks and five hits, including a homer to Stanton, shaky but not disastrous.

Johnson, though, opted for the bullpen, trudging to the mound and calling for long reliever Ross Detwiler. Hernandez gave Johnson the ball and looked up at the scoreboard. He took deliberate, small strides off the field. If Hernandez had walked any slower, he would have just been standing there.

“I can’t do nothing about it,” Hernandez said. “It’s the manager’s decision. I know I can continue pitching. I only gave up three runs. But it’s his decision, and I can’t do nothing about it.

“I don’t pitch good today. I don’t give a chance to win for the team. It’s frustrating right now.”

On a cloudy August day in 2009, Jonny Gomes stepped to the plate against the Washington Nationals four times. Three times, he homered. Two of the three times, Laynce Nix was on base in front of his right-handed slugging teammate, one of the many triumphant moments the two shared in Cincinnati.

Count Nix, then, as first in line to give his stamp of approval to the Nationals’ latest acquisition — an addition that not only strengthened Washington’s right-handed options off the bench but also reunited the former platoon partners from last year’s NL Central-winning Reds.

“I’ve seen Jonny do a lot of damage,” Nix said with a smile, recalling the day Gomes tagged Collin Balester for two homers and Jason Bergmann for another in a 7-0 rout of Washington.

The newest National settled into his new digs Wednesday afternoon, taking the roster spot and locker space of Matt Stairs. Stairs. The 43-year-old pinch hitter was designated for assignment earlier in the day after hitting .154 in 56 games.

Gomes was not in the starting lineup on his first day in Washington, giving him time, manager Davey Johnson said, to become acclimated to his new surroundings and his new teammates. He’ll be in the lineup Thursday for the series finale against the Florida Marlins.

Gomes talked about his mixed emotions over the last 24 hours: the sadness in leaving a team and a city he’d come to love to join an organization that obviously sought out his services, and a clubhouse filled with players he either knew or admired. It’s the first time Gomes has been traded — but it’s not an altogether unfamiliar situation for him.

“I’m biased to, not so much the underdog, but a sleeper team, if you will,” Gomes said. “I came up with the [Tampa Bay] Rays. In 2007, we broke records we were so bad. In 2008, we went to the World Series. I went over the Reds and such a baseball-rich city and … they hadn’t been to the playoffs in 12 years. In 2010, we won the division and we went to the playoffs.”

Last year, when the Reds were marching to the division title, Gomes and Nix played an integral part. In a left-field platoon, they combined to hit .278 with 20 homers and 94 RBI. While Gomes had 469 at-bats to Nix’s 107, he also hit .333 with two outs and runners in scoring position.

“He was just super-clutch,” Nix said. “He’s a big-game player, and I think he has a lot left in his tank, for sure. … We complement each other. If he’s starting, I’m ready to come in, and he’s the same way. We back each other.”

Gomes mentioned the appeal of playing under a manager with as rich a history as the Nationals’ Johnson and acknowledged that, while his batting average (.211) leaves a little to be desired, his 11 home runs and 31 RBI in 218 at-bats are not too far off from his usual numbers.

“If you were to cover up my average, you’d be like, ‘All right, this guy’s doing all right,’ ” Gomes said. “Then you pull the average and you’re like, ‘What happened?’ “

But his situation in Cincinnati was also somewhat unstable. In about four months, Gomes went from a near every-day player, to a platoon role, to left-handed specialist role. The hope is defining his responsibilities here will help Nix, who still is nursing a sore right Achilles.

“I will communicate what I expect out of him,” Johnson said. “But it really goes back to players, it’s how you use them. Players are pretty smart. They can sense when they’re needed and what their role should be to help this ball club win.

“It’s my job to figure out exactly what his role should be, where he’s going to be best suited for himself and if I do what’s right for him, it’ll be best for the team.”

© Copyright 2011 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

WASHINGTON – The Washington Nationals designated Fredricton’s Matt Stairs for assignment on Wednesday to make room on their roster for newly acquired outfielder Jonny Gomes.

Stairs, who holds the major-league record with 23 pinch-hit home runs, was a disappointment for the Nationals. The 43-year-old batted just .154 with two RBIs in 56 games. He was 6 for 39 as a pinch hitter.

Manager Davey Johnson said that the team couldn’t find regular playing time in either the outfield or at first base for Stairs.

“He never really got sharp,” Johnson said. “He didn’t have the production he wanted or that the organization wanted.”

When Johnson took over as manager, he made no secret that he wanted a power hitter on the bench — “a guy sitting over next to me with a big, hairy chest.”

He was disappointed that Stairs wasn’t that player.

“I loved having that left-handed bat off the bench. He was my guy,” Johnson said.

Gomes was acquired in a trade from Cincinnati on Tuesday. He wasn’t in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against Florida, but Johnson said he would play Thursday.

The 30-year-old had played the past 2 1/2 seasons with the Reds after starting his career with Tampa Bay. The Rays released him after the 2008 season.

“It’s my first time getting traded, so I don’t know how to take it. A team giving up on you — or a team grabbing you and wanting your services?” Gomes said.

Comfortable in both left field and right, Gomes wasn’t ready to talk about his role.

“We just figured out what my number would be,” he said. “We still got to iron some things out.”

Johnson said that the right-handed hitting Gomes would help his team’s balance. Laynce Nix and Rick Ankiel, who were both in Wednesday’s starting lineup, are left-handed. Nix was scheduled to start in right instead of Jayson Werth, who’s batting just .215 and is just 3 for 24 against Marlins starter Javier Vazquez.

Right-handed pitcher Chien-Ming Wang also returned from his rehab assignment. He is still on the disabled list and is scheduled to pitch Friday against the Mets. He hasn’t pitched in a major-league game since July 4, 2009.

The Washington Nationals designated Fredricton’s Matt Stairs for assignment on Wednesday to make room on their roster for newly acquired outfielder Jonny Gomes.

Stairs, who holds the major-league record with 23 pinch-hit home runs, was a disappointment for the Nationals. The 43-year-old batted just .154 in 56 games with two runs batted in. He was 6-for-39 as a pinch hitter.

Manager Davey Johnson said that the team couldn’t find regular playing time in either the outfield or at first base for Stairs.

“He never really got sharp,” Johnson said. “He didn’t have the production he wanted or that the organization wanted.”

When Johnson took over as manager, he made no secret that he wanted a power hitter on the bench — “a guy sitting over next to me with a big, hairy chest.”

He was disappointed that Stairs wasn’t that player.

“I loved having that left-handed bat off the bench. He was my guy,” Johnson said.

Gomes was acquired in a trade from Cincinnati on Tuesday. He wasn’t in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against Florida, but Johnson said he would play Thursday.

3rd team

The 30-year-old had played the past 2 1/2 seasons with the Reds after starting his career with Tampa Bay. The Rays released him after the 2008 season.

“It’s my first time getting traded, so I don’t know how to take it. A team giving up on you — or a team grabbing you and wanting your services?” Gomes said.

Comfortable in both left field and right, Gomes wasn’t ready to talk about his role.

“We just figured out what my number would be,” he said. “We still got to iron some things out.”

Johnson said that the right-handed hitting Gomes would help his team’s balance. Laynce Nix and Rick Ankiel, who were both in Wednesday’s starting lineup, are left-handed. Nix was scheduled to start in right instead of Jayson Werth, who’s batting just .215 and is just 3-for-24 against Marlins starter Javier Vazquez.

Right-handed pitcher Chien-Ming Wang also returned from his rehab assignment. He is still on the disabled list and is scheduled to pitch Friday against the Mets. He hasn’t pitched in a major-league game since July 4, 2009.

Baseball prodigy Bryce Harper is facing some scrutiny. He’s expected to be the franchise-saving superman at 18. He has drawn heat for some issues of his own making. He’s the only nationally known name in the low minors. Naturally, not one but two Washington Nationals executives drew a comparison with another baseball player who faced scrutiny, Jackie Robinson.

From Tom Verducci’s SI Piece.

“Jackie Robinson,” says Tony Tarasco, a former major leaguer and a Nationals minor league coordinator who has become Harper’s player-development Yoda. “You have to go back to Jackie Robinson to find anybody who goes through this much scrutiny. It wasn’t like this for [Stephen] Strasburg. Wasn’t like this for Alex Rodriguez.”

Jackie Robinson? Surely Doug Harris, the Nationals’ director of player development, with 21 years in pro ball as a player, scout and executive, would find a different comparable for Harper. Independent of Tarasco, Harris offered, “This is really unfair and it’s totally different, but if I can make a comparison to one guy that has been scrutinized like this, it would be Jackie Robinson. And it’s unfair because it was a different standard. He was under a microscope in an era when we didn’t have Internet, didn’t have cellphones.

“Now, Jackie Robinson had his life threatened. I’m not comparing Bryce to that. But as far as nonstop scrutiny? Absolutely. Day to day.”

Absolutely. Bryce Harper having a few baseballs thrown at him day to day, for being an immature dick, is surely analogous to Jackie Robinson facing the full brunt of America’s racism because of his skin color.

Consider the onslaught Bryce is under. Internet. Cell-phones. 24-hour media. Blogs! They didn’t even have ESPN when Robinson played. When Jackie wasn’t single-handedly confronting an actively hostile public, legalized segregation in the north and south and 300 years of history, he could really sit back and get some me time.

Bryce Harper chooses to isolate himself from his teammates. Many places Jackie Robinson went, the choice was made for him.

[Photo via Getty]

WASHINGTON — The Nationals added outfielder Jonny Gomes to their roster on Wednesday, one day after acquiring him in a trade with Cincinnati.

To make room for Gomes, Washington designated 43-year-old Matt Stairs for assignment.

Stairs, who holds the major league record with 23 pinch-hit home runs, was a disappointment for the Nationals. In 56 games, Stairs batted just .154 with two RBIs and didn’t hit a homer. Stairs was 6 for 39 as a pinch hitter.

Gomes wasn’t in the lineup for the game against Florida. Manager Davey Johnson said he wanted to give Gomes a day to get acclimated.

Right-handed pitcher Chien-Ming Wang also returned from his rehab assignment. He is still on the disabled list and is scheduled to pitch Friday against the Mets.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

“It would mean a lot,” Wang said in an interview with the New York Times of his return to a Major League mound. “A lot of people tell me, this kind of injury, no one comes back.”

In the interview with the newspaper published July 24, Wang said he still could add 2 or 3 mph to his sinker and guessed that he was 80 to 90 percent as effective as he used to be in his long journey to regain the vaunted sinker that once tied up big league hitters.

Randy Knorr, the manager of the Nationals’ Triple-A farm team, the Syracuse Chiefs, told the New York Times he thought Wang was close to being ready.

“Timetable wise, obviously, you’d like to see some guys have a little more time. We don’t have that time, but I think he can compete up there, I really do,” he was quoted as saying.

Wang will have his chance to prove it for real when the Nationals host the Mets Friday night in Washington (7 a.m. on July 30, local time).

But the 31-year-old right-hander has come off two mediocre rehab outings at the Triple-A level, the most recent against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees on June 24.

In that game, Wang lasted five innings, throwing 96 pitches, 63 for strikes. He struck out five but yielded five runs on eight hits, including a three-run homer.

In the two games, he had a less than-stellar 6.75 ERA, but Knorr was reportedly happy with what he saw.

“He’s fighting to get the sinker as consistent as possible,” Knorr told the New York Times. “I think there’s times when he might have wanted to go to another pitch, but he decided, ‘I need to get this sinker going — that’s the way I pitch,’ so he chose to do that.”

Wang said he was grateful for all the support from local fans, adding that he saw Taiwanese fans at every game over the past month.

Wang’s best showing in the minor leagues occurred in the first four rehab games he pitched for the Nationals’ Class A-Advanced and Double-A teams, in which he posted a 2-0 record and a 1.00 ERA.

Wang was sidelined after having surgery on his right shoulder in July 2009.

His best season came in 2006, when he won 19 games for the New York Yankees with a 3.63 ERA and finished second in the American League Cy Young Award voting that year.

For his career, Wang has a 55-26 record and 4.16 ERA in 109 Major League games.

Read More: Matt Kemp (CF – LOS), Aaron Miles (2B – LOS), Michael Morse (LF – WAS), Danny Espinosa (2B – WAS), Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Washington Nationals suffered one of their most disheartening losses of the 2011 season on Sunday, falling 3-1 in a game they looked to be in control of early in the game. The Nationals loaded the bases with nobody out in the first inning and got a run in on a single by Michael Morse. They did not get a single hit the rest of the game.

Chad Billingsely settled down in a big way after that first inning, hurling seven innings of two-hit ball to get the victory and move to 9-8 on the season. Jason Marquis pitched decently, but was victimized by poor defense. He drops to 8-5 on the year.

The Dodgers got two runs in the first inning when Aaron Miles knocked a base hit up the middle. Danny Espinosa’s throw home looked to be in plenty of time to get Matt Kemp, but Jesus Flories dropped the ball and allowed the run to score. The Dodgers got one more in the third inning for the final margin.

Washington now falls to 49-52 on the season.