Published: Dec. 24, 2011 at 2:51 PM

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 (UPI) — The Washington Nationals say they have added another young power arm to their rotation with a trade for Oakland Athletics all-star hurler Gio Gonzalez.

Gonzalez, a left-hander who made his first All-Star Game appearance this past season, joins Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann atop the Nationals’ rotation with the Friday deal.

The Nationals also got minor league right-hander Robert Gilliam while the rebuilding A’s received three pitchers — right-handers Brad Peacock and A.J. Cole and left-hander Tom Milone — as well as catcher Derek Norris from the Nats, the Oakland Tribune reported.

Gonzalez, 26, finished 16-12 with a 3.12 ERA for the A’s last season. He fanned 197 batters in 201 innings but also surrendered the most walks in the league with 91.

The move sparked speculation the Nationals will go all-out to woo free agent first baseman Prince Fielder with a lucrative deal in a bid to challenge Philadelphia, Atlanta and Florida in the National League East, The Washington Post said.

(c) 2011, The Washington Post
VALENCIA, Venezuela — Wilson Ramos was rescued and was being returned safely to his home Friday night, ending the Washington Nationals catcher’s harrowing 50 hours in captivity and providing relief for his beleaguered family.
“Thank you and thank everyone, thanks to God, thanks to God, thanks to the whole country,” Maria Campos, Ramos’s mother, said. “I just heard everyone yell.”
Ramos was freed in the mountains of Montalban in the state of Carabobo in central Venezuela, said Andres Izarra, the government’s communications minister. The area is roughly 40 miles northwest of Ramos’s family’s home in Valencia, where four men abducted him Wednesday evening, dragging him into a vehicle at gunpoint.
Detroit Tigers star slugger Miguel Cabrera, a Venezuelan native, called Ramos’s home Friday evening and spoke with Ramos’s sister, Milangela Ramos. Cabrera told Milangela to call Venezuelan Interior Minister Tareck El Aissami. When she did, El Aissami told her: “I have good news. Your brother has been released.”
Venezuelan authorities have taken three detainees in connection with Ramos’s abduction, El Aissami told reporters.
The phone call to Ramos’s family suddenly and happily ended more than two days of praying and waiting. They had hunkered down over the past few days, nervously yearning for any kernel of information or hope, but without any word from the gunmen who had abducted the 24-year-old catcher, who just completed his first season with the Nationals.
“They got him,” Gustavo Mercano, Ramos’s agent, said in a phone conversation from Ramos’s house. “He’s safe. It’s a special moment for his family. We’re all happy. We’re grateful.”
In the background over the phone, Ramos’s family could be heard chanting, “Wil-son! Wil-son!”
Across Venezuela, a country where kidnapping has long been a scourge, celebrations erupted. The news blared over public address systems at baseball stadiums where teams played in the Venezuelan winter league, which Ramos had returned home to play in.
Earlier in the evening, in Washington, supporters held a candlelight vigil outside the centerfield gate of Nationals Park, praying for one of the team’s best young players to return home safe.
The Nationals received confirmation of his release from George Hanna, Major League Baseball’s director of investigations, shortly after 10 p.m. EST. Venezuelan authorities had been working in concert with MLB’s Department of Investigations for two days, ramping up efforts Friday morning.
“The news from Venezuela tonight is reassuring,” Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo said in a statement. “Though details are limited and we have not yet talked directly with Wilson, we are thrilled with reports that he has been rescued and is being safely returned to his family. We greatly appreciate all the prayers and thoughts of all who have joined us in wishing for this conclusion to what has been a nightmarish 48 hours. We are eager to see Wilson and let him know just how many all over the world have been waiting for this news.”
Details about the case had been slow to trickle out. More than 48 hours after Ramos was taken, his captors still had not contacted Ramos’s family concerning a ransom. Police found a second vehicle believed to have been used in the abduction during the day Friday, and they prepared to release sketches of two of the gunmen.
Venezuelan officials expressed confidence they had made progress in the investigation. Late Friday, their hopes came to fruition.
This year, in his first full major league season, Ramos was one of the best rookies in baseball, supplanting future Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez, his childhood idol, as the Nationals’ regular catcher. He hit .267 with 15 home runs and a .438 slugging percentage, numbers that made him one of the Nationals’ most valuable and most promising players.
One of Ramos’s proudest moments came in early September. His mother and sister made their first trip to the United States, and for the first time they watched Ramos play in the major leagues. They sat in the stands at Nationals Park, and his mother made Ramos arepas, corn cakes popular in Venezuela, as she stayed in his apartment.
“It was very, very awesome,” Ramos said then. “The first day, when my mom came, she was crying. She was crying when she saw me play the other day. It’s awesome. For her to see me play here, it’s awesome. I feel happy, very happy.”
Kilgore reported from Washington.

Miguel Cairo was determined not to fail a second time.

Cairo struck out with two runners aboard and the score tied in the seventh inning Friday night, a big letdown in a weird game. He came through the next time up, hitting a running-scoring single with one out in the ninth inning that gave the Cincinnati Reds a 4-3 victory over the Washington Nationals.

“I had a chance two innings before, but I didn’t swing at strikes,” said Cairo, who got into the game as a pinch hitter. “I said I’m only going to swing at strikes because when I swing at strikes, I’ve got a chance. He got it over the plate, and I hit it good.”

Cairo’s single to the gap in left-center was the third straight hit off Colin Balester (1-2), sending the Nationals to their fourth straight loss. Cairo is batting .333 off the bench.

“He’s unbelievable,” manager Dusty Baker said. “We try to get him at-bats so he’s ready for situations like that. He’s been lights out.”

Actually, the lights started going out in the top of the seventh, when a bank of them failed behind first base. The umpires talked to both managers and decided to continue.

The game was halted when another light bank went dark in the eighth as hard-throwing left-hander Aroldis Chapman warmed up, prompting a 17-minute delay until they could be restored.

“I’ve seen lights-out problems before,” Nationals manager Davey Johnson said. “That was kind of weird tonight.”

Washington’s Wilson Ramos hit a three-run homer off left-hander Dontrelle Willis, who remained winless despite matching his career high with three hits. Francisco Cordero (5-3) escaped a scoring threat in the ninth.

Brandon Phillips had a pair of run-scoring singles on a night when the postgame fireworks were dedicated to his musical tastes. Todd Frazier tied it with a run-scoring single in the seventh off reliever Tom Gorzelanny.

Willis threw 123 pitches and had the 15th multihit game of his career, but couldn’t get a win. The left-hander has become the Reds’ hard-luck pitcher. The bullpen has blown a save in three of his starts. Plus, he gets the worst run support on the staff.

“That’s all you can ask for,” said Willis, who is 0-2 with a 4.10 ERA. “I’m not really concerned about victories. They come in spurts. I like the way I’m throwing the ball and competing.”

Left fielder Jonny Gomes returned for the first time since the Reds traded him for two minor leaguers on July 26, the only deal that the defending NL Central champions made before the non-waiver deadline. He singled, walked, struck out and ground out.

The Reds dedicated their Friday night fireworks to Phillips, using his favorite summer tunes as the soundtrack. The second baseman got the 35,089 fans cheering with an RBI single in the second, when shortstop Ian Desmond’s fielding error set up the unearned run. Phillips also singled home a run in the sixth.

Willis walked a season-high five batters, giving the Nationals plenty of chances. It was familiar for the Nationals, who arrived in a hitting slump — a total of three runs while dropping their last three games. They were 1 for 16 with runners in scoring position during an 8-1 loss to Arizona on Thursday night.

They had only one hit in 14 at-bats with runners in scoring position on Friday night — Wilson Ramos’ homer in the fourth inning for a 3-1 lead. His 11 homers are the most in one season by a Nationals catcher.

NOTES: The Nationals placed RH reliever Ryan Mattheus on the 15-day DL with a strained pitching shoulder. A corresponding move is expected on Saturday. … The Reds activated RH reliever Logan Ondrusek off the 15-day DL and optioned LHP Travis Wood to the minors. … RH Mike Leake was the last Reds pitcher to get three hits in a game. He did it July 9, 2010 at Philadelphia. … After their weekend series in Cincinnati, the Nationals go to Atlanta for three more games, avoiding Hurricane Irene. … LHP Ross Detwiler starts Saturday for the Nationals. He ended a three-game losing streak on Monday by beating Arizona 4-1. … Leake tries to become the Reds’ first 11-game winner on Saturday. He’s 2-1 in three career starts against the Nationals.

Read More: Washington Nationals

The NCAA Baseball Tournament Super Regional stage gets underway this weekend, with four games scheduled for Friday and four more for Saturday. Each matchup is a three-game mini-series, with the winner earning a trip to the College World Series in Omaha. Here is a schedule of the matchups:

No. 1 Virginia vs. UC-Irvine, Charlottesville

• Game 1: Saturday, June 11 at 1 p.m.
• Game 2: Sunday, June 12 at 1 p.m.
• Game 3 (if necessary): Monday, June 13

California vs. Dallas Baptist, Santa Clara

WASHINGTON (AP)—The Washington Nationals recalled right-handed pitcher
Yunesky Maya(notes) from Triple-A Syracuse to start Sunday’s game against San Diego.

Maya takes Tom Gorzellany’s place in the Nationals’ rotation. Gorzellany was
placed on the 15-day disabled list on Friday with an inflamed left elbow.

The Cuban-born Maya, who signed with the Nationals last summer, was 1-4 with
a 3.79 ERA in nine starts with Syracuse. He was 0-3 with a 5.88 ERA in five
starts with Washington in 2010.

By Andrew Kinback

– Nationals editor

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May 21, 2011 – You can’t really have that much of a better game than the Washington Nationals did against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. The Nats completely decimated the O’s, 17-5, in interleague play. It is hard to imagine the Nationals can do it again, but they certainly are going to try in a 4:05 p.m. game in Baltimore.

All the main culprits that robbed Baltimore of any sense of pride on Friday night are once again in the lineup, including the sort-of odd-man out in Matt Stairs, who was the only Nationals player in the starting lineup to not reach base. He will be DH once again tonight and will look to redeem himself. Danny Espinosa, Wilson Ramos, Jayson Werth, Laynce Nix and Roger Bernadina who all homered in the first game (Werth twice) are all back Saturday to wreck more havoc. They will be in support of starter John Lannan (2-4, 4.53 ERA).

Saturday’s game will be interesting to watch just to see if the Nationals can continue getting hits, scoring runs and producing rather than going into another offensive drought. Right now, their spirits should be riding high, while the Orioles are probably feeling a bit grounded. It would be ridiculous to expect another 10+ run performance from Washington, but stranger things have happened.

Nationals Lineup

Roger Bernadina, CF

Ian Desmond, SS

Laynce Nix, LF

Jayson Werth, RF

Matt Stairs, DH

Adam LaRoche, 1B

Wilson Ramos, C

Danny Espinosa, 2B

Jerry Hairston Jr., 3B

John Lannan, SP

Read More: Jerry Hairston Jr. (SS – WAS), Jayson Werth (RF – WAS), Adam LaRoche (1B – WAS), Matt Stairs (RF – WAS), John Lannan (P – WAS), Laynce Nix (LF – WAS), Roger Bernadina (RF – WAS), Ian Desmond (SS – WAS), Wilson Ramos (C – WAS), Danny Espinosa (2B – WAS), Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals

By: AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Washington Nationals pitcher Todd Coffey, who is on the 15-day disabled list, throws in the rain on the field at PNC Park in Pittsburgh after the scheduled game against the Pittsburgh Pirates was postponed due to rain on Friday, April 22, 2011. The game has been rescheduled for Monday, April 25 in Pittsburgh.

The Washington Nationals’ starting pitchers are bailing out their struggling offense.
The Nationals rank next-to-last in the National League in batting average at .218 and 12th in runs, averaging 4.1 per game, but have been able to stay at .500 over the season’s first three weeks due to a rotation that ranked fourth in the NL in ERA at 3.57.
“Obviously, there are guys with talent in this rotation,” starter Jason Marquis said. “I’m not going to say we’re the Roy Halladays or the David Prices of the world, but we do have some good pitchers.”
The Nationals’ game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night was postponed due to rain, and the teams will make it up 7:05 p.m. Monday on what was a common off day.
With this and the rainouts in Baltimore and Minnesota, there have been 15 postponements in the majors this season, just six shy of the total for all of 2010, according to STATS LLC.
Each team will simply move its starting pitchers up a day and stay on the same rotation. As a testament to how strong Washington’s rotation has been, each of the series’ three starters has an ERA of less than 3.50.
“More than anything, we’ve become quality strike throwers,” Marquis said. “We’re not messing around or dancing around the strike zone; we’re attacking the strike zone. On top of that, we have a good defense and that’s important. We’re a staff that pitches to contact. When the ball is put in play, there is a very good chance that the play is going to be made.”
Marquis has pitched at least six innings and has allowed no more than three runs during each of his three starts this season after being limited to only 13 starts due to an elbow injury last year.
Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, the team’s 2008 minor league pitcher of the year, appears to finally be fully recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2009.
Veteran Livan Hernandez has been durable, as usual, and lefty John Lannan has finally shown consistency since a midseason demotion to the minors last year. Left-hander Tom Gorzelanny was added in an offseason trade with the Chicago Cubs to fill out a rotation that has avoided the poor outing: Washington’s starter has pitched at least five innings in every game this season.
“They’re healthy, No. 1,” manager Jim Riggleman said. “Last year, we had two or three guys who weren’t expressing that they had some discomfort there. They pretty much have that behind them and are taking the ball every time out every time without feeling any pain. They are able to take their bullpen sessions, keep their mechanics together and are in a real good flow right now.”
Hernandez (2-1, 2.88) will face Pittsburgh’s Jeff Karstens (1-0, 4.50) in what is now the series opener Saturday. Sunday’s matchup will be Marquis against Kevin Correia and Monday is Lannan vs. Paul Maholm.
By the end of the series, Nationals pitchers likely will be facing a new shortstop in the Pirates’ lineup.
The Pirates claimed infielder Brandon Wood off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels on Friday. Wood was formerly one of the game’s top prospects but has struggled mightily with the bat at the major league level.
Wood has displayed a power stroke that has had him hit .284 with 161 home runs in 764 minor-league games — including 43 in 2005 in Single-A. He also is known as a more-than-capable defender, having played mostly shortstop and third base over 173 games in the majors.
But his offense hasn’t translated to the majors. In parts of the last five seasons with the Angels, Wood has 11 home runs and 33 RBIs in 173 games — but he’s a career .168 hitter.
“I know things haven’t really (transpired) the way he hoped,” Hurdle said. “He’s a solid defender. He can play three positions. His bat is the question. The opportunity, probably, with the Angels probably wasn’t as long as he liked or what they would have liked to have given him.
“We’ll give him time in the batter’s box and see if we can help him make a difference, re-ignite the swing.”
Hurdle said Wood would play regularly — likely at shortstop in lieu of the struggling Ronny Cedeno, who’s hitting .170 with one extra-base hit in 53 at-bats. The Pirates’ hope is that a change of scenery will do Wood good.
“Sometimes, something as simple as that can help,” Hurdle said.
Wood, who was 2 for 14 with a double in six games this season, was designated for assignment by the Angels on Wednesday.
The Pirates on Friday also recalled Pedro Ciriaco from Triple-A Indianapolis. Hurdle indicated that Ciriaco would only be with the team until Wood arrived, which is expected by the end of the weekend.
Pittsburgh designated infielder Josh Rodriguez for assignment. A Rule 5 pick from Cleveland, he now must be offered back to the Indians.
Notes: Washington will recall infielder Brian Bixler, a former Pirates player, before Saturday’s game. Bixler was with the team Friday after he hit .326 in 14 games for Triple-A Syracuse. He hit .178 in 68 games with Pittsburgh in 2008-09. … Riggleman said reliever Todd Coffey (thigh) will be activated from the disabled list Sunday when he’s eligible, assuming he has no problems performing pregame running drills Saturday.

BASEBALL

VIERA, Fla. — St. Louis right-hander Kyle Lohse pitched well for six innings, but the Washington Nationals beat the Cardinals, 3-2, on Friday night.

Lohse yielded two runs and six hits, struck out three and walked none.

Washington third baseman Ryan Zimmerman played for the first time since March 14. After missing 10 games with a strained left groin, he went 0 for 3 and played six innings in the field.

Brian Bixler hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh to put the Nationals ahead for good.

Tom Gorzelanny allowed two runs and four hits for Washington, striking out five and walking one. He gave up a two-run homer to David Freese in the fourth after walking Matt Holliday.

Albert Pujols had a single in three at-bats for St. Louis.

IN OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

Reds’ Arroyo tested for valley fever: Ailing Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo has been tested for a fungal infection in his lungs.

The right-hander has been sick for more than 10 days with flu-like symptoms. The team said Friday that he’s gotten blood tests and chest X-rays to see if he has valley fever, a fungal infection found in desert regions of the Southwest. The fungus is released from the soil and inhaled. The disease is treated with rest and drugs.

Arroyo was scheduled to start the second game of the regular season, but he has been pushed to third in the rotation to give him time to recuperate.

Pirates’ Beimel out: Pittsburgh left-hander Joe Beimel won’t be ready for opening day, leaving the Pirates without their main offseason bullpen acquisition.

Beimel has been hampered much of spring training by injuries to his forearm and elbow. The 33-year-old is healthy and has resumed throwing off a mound, but he said Friday that he needs time to get into game shape.

Lidge likely on DL: The Philadelphia Phillies shut down closer Brad Lidge on Friday with shoulder soreness and said he is likely to begin the season on the disabled list.

Briefly: Braden Looper has told the Chicago Cubs he is retiring. The 36-year-old right-hander was in camp as a non-roster player, trying to make a comeback after sitting out last season. The Cubs told him Friday that he would not make the team out of spring training, so Looper decided to retire. … San Diego Padres pitcher Mat Latos won’t make his scheduled start today because of a sore right shoulder. Latos had been in line to pitch the opener at St. Louis on Thursday. … Right-hander Kevin Millwood agreed Friday to a minor league contract with the New York Yankees. The 36-year-old was 4-16 with a 5.10 ERA last season with Baltimore.

Washington Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche has had an MRI on his sore left shoulder and will miss at least three games. … Josh Tomlin will be the fifth starter in the Cleveland Indians’ rotation, manager Manny Acta said. … Former slugger Mike Sweeney has signed a one-day minor league contract with Kansas City so he can officially retire as a member of the Royals. The 37-year-old Sweeney was a five-time All-Star with the Royals. … The Chicago White Sox have chosen Brent Morel their starting third baseman, manager Ozzie Guillen announced.

In Friday games: Cincinnati’s Edinson Volquez threw five shaky innings in a tuneup for his opening-day start, and the San Diego Padres beat the Reds, 10-4, in Goodyear, Ariz. Volquez allowed three runs on nine hits and four walks. …At Mesa, Ariz., Randy Wells was named the Cubs’ fourth starter and responded with 52/3 solid innings to lead Chicago to a 6-3 win over Seattle Mariners split squad .

New Washington Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth(notes) and actor Willem Dafoe don’t exactly qualify for a “separated at birth” mention. Maybe more like father and son. Or older brother and mommy’s happy accident. (The former is probably more accurate, as there’s a 24-year age difference between the two.)

Still, I just came across this photo of Werth at Wednesday’s press conference and was immediately flooded with chuckle-worthy visions of him returning to Citizens Bank Park dressed as the Green Goblin (which would probably mean that Cliff Lee(notes) would be Spider-Man).

At any rate, I’ll now step aside from my Friday morning delusion to let you make snarky comments about Werth’s huge contract and the Spider-Man Broadway delay disaster that’s currently warming itself in front of a bonfire of $65 million.

Related: Cliff Lee, Jayson Werth, Washington Nationals