Prosecutors charged eight people Wednesday with the kidnapping of Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos in his home country of Venezuela, five days after he was dramatically rescued.

The eight were accused of aggravated kidnapping, plotting to commit a crime, and using a stolen vehicle, among other offenses, a statement from the prosecutors’ office said.

Two of the suspects also were charged with resisting arrest and weapons possession, it added.

The 24-year-old catcher, snatched by gunmen near his parents’ home last Wednesday, was rescued in a hail of gunfire on Friday when security forces raided the remote mountain hideout where he was held.

Venezuelan authorities earlier said there were six Venezuelans and five Colombians detained in the case, but on Wednesday authorities did not give the nationalities of those charged.

Ramos, who had been training with the Aragua Tigres, the Venezuelan league team for whom he plays during the Major League Baseball off-season, said he believed his kidnappers were from neighboring Colombia, citing their accents.

Many people in baseball-mad Venezuela breathed a sigh of relief when officials announced that Ramos had been rescued safe and sound.

Kidnapping is not unusual in Venezuela, and many cases are resolved within hours or days after payment of a ransom.

In 2009, there were 16,917 kidnappings in the country, although some non-government organizations estimate the number is higher.

Though this was the first time a professional baseball player has been kidnapped in Venezuela, relatives of players have been snatched in recent years.

The Nationals acquired Ramos, 24, from the Minnesota Twins in a trade in July 2010. As a rookie in 2011, he hit .267 with 15 home runs and 52 RBIs in 113 games.

By Sports Direct

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Gerardo Parra, bottom, is out at second as Washington Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond (6) throws the ball to first to get out Miguel Montero for the double-play during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2011, in Washington.

The Washington Nationals were one out away from getting shut out yet again when Livan Hernandez is on the mound.
Instead, they merely lost the game.
Home runs by Laynce Nix and Jonny Gomes on back-to-back pitches with two outs in the ninth took the zero off the board Wednesday night in a 4-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“Second night in a row we didn’t really come out offensively,” shortstop Ian Desmond said. “Too little, too late.”
Hernandez (7-12) allowed four runs and seven hits with one walk and five strikeouts over 7 1-3 innings. The Nationals had just been shut out for the 13th time Tuesday in a 2-0 loss to the Diamondbacks; five of those shutouts have come when Hernandez is pitching.
“I don’t think about something like that. Never,” Hernandez said. “I go out and try to do my job, try to do my best, and the reason I go to the mound is to try to give us a chance to win, that’s what I do.”
Daniel Hudson (13-9) allowed nine hits, struck out six, walked none and threw 102 pitches for the Diamondbacks before he hit the wall at 8 2-3 innings, just missing his first career shutout.
“Just two stupid pitches at the end,” he said.
J.J. Putz came and got his 32nd save, retiring Wilson Ramos on a foul out to first.
“That’s what that team is known for,” said Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who streak of 29 consecutive games reaching base came to an end. “They don’t score that many runs, they get big hits when they need them, and then their pitching staff kind of carries them. The last two games, that’s what they’ve done to us.”
The Nationals nearly scored in the eighth after Ramos’ single and Desmond’s double put runners on second and third with one out. But Rick Ankiel lined out to first, and Diamondbacks new acquisition John McDonald followed with a highlight play to preserve the shutout. The shortstop fielded Zimmerman’s chopper up the middle, did a 360 and threw a one-hopper to first baseman Lyle Overbay, who made a nice, clean snag that beat Zimmerman by a hair.
Arizona got on the board in the fourth when Gomes dropped the ball while taking it out of his glove on Chris Young’s double to the left field corner, an error that allowed Justin Upton to score from first. Overbay followed with an RBI single to right.
In the eighth, Ryan Roberts and Gerardo Parra singled back to back to chase Hernandez, and Montero drove both runners home with a single off reliever Henry Rodriguez.
NOTES: Another milestone for Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg in his return from Tommy John surgery: He took batting practice Wednesday. Strasburg will pitch Saturday for Triple-A Syracuse in his fifth minor league rehab start, and it’ll be the first one in which he’ll have to hit. “He’s wanted to hit, but nobody’s been letting him,” manager Davey Johnson said. Strasburg likely has two starts left before making his much anticipated return to the majors sometime around Sept. 6. He threw a side session Wednesday before his BP. … Nationals OF Jayson Werth sat out after leaving Tuesday’s game early with a strained groin. “He would play if we were in a pennant race or something,” Johnson said.
___
Joseph White can be reached at http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP

WASHINGTON — A day after Stephen Strasburg was hit hard in the minors, Washington Nationals manager Davey Johnson insisted he wasn’t worried about the young ace.

Strasburg lasted less than two innings Wednesday in a Class A start, his third rehabilitation outing since Tommy John surgery last September.

“Not at all. I’ve seen it many times — Jim Palmer — anybody — going down and getting some work. I’ve seen him and other guys get rocked,” Johnson said before the Nationals hosted Cincinnati on Thursday night.

Pitching for Hagerstown in the South Atlantic League, the overall No. 1 pick from the 2009 draft gave up five runs and four hits in 1 2-3 innings against Lexington.

Strasburg’s next start is set for Monday night in Hagerstown. Johnson said the 23-year-old right-hander would throw 65 pitches or four innings.

Strasburg is expected to make three more starts before returning to the majors next month. He made an impressive debut in the big leagues last year before needing major surgery on his elbow.

In his three starts, Strasburg has thrown 6 1-3 innings, allowing six runs and nine hits with 12 strikeouts and two walks.

Strasburg cruised through his first two rehab starts. But in his latest outing, he gave up a walk, double, single and double before retiring his first batter.

Strasburg also allowed a double and a walk in the second inning before being pulled as he approached his pitch-count limit of 50. He struck out three and walked two.

“He’s not worried about pitching to hitters — setting them up,” Johnson said. “He’s worried about throwing pitches — his release point — his rhythm. He’s not concerned about results.”

Johnson noted that few of the players in Wednesday’s game are likely to eventually reach the major leagues.

“It’s their first chance — and maybe the last chance — to face a big league pitcher,” Johnson said. “They’re sky high, and they’re swinging from the get-go.”

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

Read More: Stephen Strasburg (P – WAS), Washington Nationals

Washington Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg is set to make his third rehab start Wednesday night after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow last September. He will throw for low-Single A Hagerstown in a game against Lexington at 7:05 p.m.

Strasburg has pitched two rehab starts in the Washington Nationals’ minor league system, one for the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns, and one for the high Single-A Potomac Nationals. In the first start for the Suns, Strasburg went one and two-thirds innings, allowing three hits and one earned run while striking out four. In the next start for Potomac, Strasburg went three innings, allowing two hits and striking out five. 

Strasburg will be back with Hagerstown on Wednesday because the Suns are playing a home game. He will stay in the game until he either throws 60 pitches or completes four innings, whichever comes first.

The first overall pick in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft in 2009, Strasburg, 23, went 5-3 last season with a 2.91 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 68 innings pitched over 12 starts. His season was cut short by the elbow injury.

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.

Jonathon Niese pitched seven sharp innings, some of them in heavy rain, and Justin Turner added to his surprising tear with a two-run double that sent the New York Mets to a 3-0 victory over the light-hitting Washington Nationals on Wednesday night.
With maybe a few thousand hardy souls in the stands on another wet night at Citi Field, the Mets’ depleted lineup scratched out enough offense to help Niese (3-4) win his second consecutive start.
Playing without injured regulars David Wright, Ike Davis and Angel Pagan, New York won for the eighth time in 12 games and tied Washington for fourth place in the NL East.
Jason Bay had a sacrifice fly in the first inning and Turner cracked a two-out double in the sixth to chase Tom Gorzelanny (2-3) after 116 pitches. Jose Reyes singled three times, drew an intentional walk and scored twice from his leadoff spot.
With deep puddles forming on the infield, Jason Isringhausen worked a one-hit eighth and Francisco Rodriguez got three outs for his 13th save in 14 chances. K-Rod blew his first opportunity of the season, but has tossed 17 shutout innings dating to April 17.
With two on, he retired pinch-hitter Laynce Nix and then Roger Bernadina on consecutive flyouts to left.
New York allowed eight hits in its first shutout this season. Washington was blanked for the sixth time.
Quiet nights at the plate are nothing new for the Nationals. They began the day ranked last in the NL in batting average (.225), on-base percentage (.298), slugging (.348), hits (302), total bases (467) and doubles (57).
Both teams were rained out Tuesday night — the Nationals at home against Pittsburgh, and the Mets at home against the Marlins. That came after New York and Florida played through the mist on a muddy track Monday night.
The announced attendance Wednesday was 24,527, but nearly all the seats were empty and hecklers could be heard from the stands.
After some torrential rain in the afternoon, the heavy stuff stopped in time to start the game on time — with no more than a couple hundred fans in the ballpark. The grounds crew worked hard between innings all night to try to dry out the infield and it was absolutely pouring when Bernadina grounded out with the bases loaded to end the seventh.
Still, play went on without interruption.
Niese gave up six hits and one walk, striking out seven. The left-hander threw 72 of 112 pitches for strikes.
Reyes hit a leadoff single in the first, went to third on Turner’s double and scored on Bay’s sacrifice fly.
Scott Hairston reached on an infield single to start the sixth, easily beating a throw from his brother, Jerry, at third base. With two outs and first base open, Reyes was intentionally walked to bring up Turner. He doubled to center over the head of the speedy Bernadina, who was playing awfully shallow.
Before that hit, New York was 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.
Turner, called up from the minors last month to share playing time at second base, has provided an offensive spark. He shifted to third base Wednesday to fill in for Wright and began the day hitting .370 with nine RBIs in his last eight games.
He hit his first major league homer and drove in a career-best five runs Sunday in Houston to lead the Mets to a victory.
NOTES: Nationals GM Mike Rizzo said RHP Stephen Strasburg is preparing to throw off a mound “any day now,” the next step in his recovery from Sept. 3 elbow surgery. … Washington OF Rick Ankiel (right wrist) is close to beginning a minor league rehab assignment and could be back in about a week. … As planned, the Mets put Wright (lower back) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to May 16, and called up 1B-OF Nick Evans from Triple-A Buffalo.

CBSSports.com wire reports
May 18, 2011

NEW YORK — Jonathon Niese pitched seven sharp innings, some of them in heavy rain, and Justin Turner added to his surprising tear with a two-run double that sent the New York Mets to a 3-0 victory over the light-hitting Washington Nationals on Wednesday night.

With maybe a few thousand hardy souls in the stands on another wet night at Citi Field, the Mets’ depleted lineup scratched out enough offense to help Niese (3-4) win his second consecutive start.

Playing without injured regulars David Wright, Ike Davis and Angel Pagan, New York won for the eighth time in 12 games and tied Washington for fourth place in the NL East.

Jason Bay had a sacrifice fly in the first inning and Turner cracked a two-out double in the sixth to chase Tom Gorzelanny (2-3) after 116 pitches. Jose Reyes singled three times, drew an intentional walk and scored twice from his leadoff spot.

With deep puddles forming on the infield, Jason Isringhausen worked a one-hit eighth and Francisco Rodriguez got three outs for his 13th save in 14 chances. K-Rod blew his first opportunity of the season, but has tossed 17 shutout innings dating to April 17.

With two on, he retired pinch-hitter Laynce Nix and then Roger Bernadina on consecutive flyouts to left.

New York allowed eight hits in its first shutout this season. Washington was blanked for the sixth time.

Quiet nights at the plate are nothing new for the Nationals. They began the day ranked last in the NL in batting average (.225), on-base percentage (.298), slugging (.348), hits (302), total bases (467) and doubles (57).

Both teams were rained out Tuesday night – the Nationals at home against Pittsburgh, and the Mets at home against the Marlins. That came after New York and Florida played through the mist on a muddy track Monday night.

The announced attendance Wednesday was 24,527, but nearly all the seats were empty and hecklers could be heard from the stands.

After some torrential rain in the afternoon, the heavy stuff stopped in time to start the game on time – with no more than a couple hundred fans in the ballpark. The grounds crew worked hard between innings all night to try to dry out the infield and it was absolutely pouring when Bernadina grounded out with the bases loaded to end the seventh.

Still, play went on without interruption.

Niese gave up six hits and one walk, striking out seven. The left-hander threw 72 of 112 pitches for strikes.

Reyes hit a leadoff single in the first, went to third on Turner’s double and scored on Bay’s sacrifice fly.

Scott Hairston reached on an infield single to start the sixth, easily beating a throw from his brother, Jerry, at third base. With two outs and first base open, Reyes was intentionally walked to bring up Turner. He doubled to center over the head of the speedy Bernadina, who was playing awfully shallow.

Before that hit, New York was 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

Turner, called up from the minors last month to share playing time at second base, has provided an offensive spark. He shifted to third base Wednesday to fill in for Wright and began the day hitting .370 with nine RBIs in his last eight games.

He hit his first major league homer and drove in a career-best five runs Sunday in Houston to lead the Mets to a victory.

Notes

Nationals GM Mike Rizzo said RHP Stephen Strasburg is preparing to throw off a mound “any day now,” the next step in his recovery from Sept. 3 elbow surgery. … Washington OF Rick Ankiel (right wrist) is close to beginning a minor league rehab assignment and could be back in about a week. … As planned, the Mets put Wright (lower back) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to May 16, and called up 1B-OF Nick Evans from Triple-A Buffalo.

The Washington Nationals’ game against the Pittsburgh Pirates has been postponed by rain.

The Nationals announced the postponement more than three hours before Tuesday’s scheduled first pitch.

The team said a makeup date will be announced in the coming days. Tuesday’s game was supposed to be the second of a two-game series.

The scheduled starting pitchers for Tuesday’s game were Washington’s Jordan Zimmermann and Pittsburgh’s Charlie Morton.

Washington is scheduled to play at the New York Mets Wednesday, while Pittsburgh is at the Cincinnati Reds.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Washington Nationals’ game against the Pittsburgh Pirates has been postponed by rain.

The Nationals announced the postponement more than three hours before Tuesday’s scheduled first pitch.

The team said a makeup date will be announced in the coming days. Tuesday’s game was supposed to be the second of a two-game series.

The scheduled starting pitchers for Tuesday’s game were Washington’s Jordan Zimmermann and Pittsburgh’s Charlie Morton.

Washington is scheduled to play at the New York Mets on Wednesday, while Pittsburgh is at the Cincinnati Reds.

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

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Washington Nationals’ game against the Pittsburgh Pirates has been postponed by rain.

The Nationals announced the postponement more than three hours before Tuesday’s scheduled first pitch.

The team said a makeup date will be announced in the coming days. Tuesday’s game was supposed to be the second of a two-game series.

The scheduled starting pitchers for Tuesday’s game were Washington’s Jordan Zimmermann and Pittsburgh’s Charlie Morton.

Washington is scheduled to play at the New York Mets on Wednesday, while Pittsburgh is at the Cincinnati Reds.

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

WASHINGTON – The Washington Nationals’ game against the Pittsburgh Pirates has been postponed by rain.

The Nationals announced the postponement more than three hours before Tuesday’s scheduled first pitch.

The team said a makeup date will be announced in the coming days. Tuesday’s game was supposed to be the second of a two-game series.

The scheduled starting pitchers for Tuesday’s game were Washington’s Jordan Zimmermann and Pittsburgh’s Charlie Morton.

Washington is scheduled to play at the New York Mets on Wednesday, while Pittsburgh is at the Cincinnati Reds.

MIAMI – Adam LaRoche snapped a slump with a two-run homer in the 11th inning Thursday, and the Washington Nationals salvaged the final game of their series at Florida, 5-3.

LaRoche was 3 for 23 before he hit his first homer of the year off Edward Mujica (1-1). That ended a streak of 12 2-3 scoreless innings for Florida’s bullpen in the series.

The Marlins gave up two unearned runs, struck out 12 times and went 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

Jayson Werth hit his first home run since signing a $126 million, seven-year contract to join the Nationals.

Todd Coffey (1-0), who was ejected from Wednesday’s game for arguing about ball-strike calls, pitched a perfect 10th. Sean Burnett, extending a streak of 21 consecutive shutout innings since Aug. 26, pitched the 11th for his second save in as many chances.

Ryan Zimmerman reached on an infield single with one out in the 11th, and LaRoche followed with a homer. That gave the Nationals the win even though they went only 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position. They’re are batting .140 in those situations and have scored 19 runs in six games.

Two Florida errors led to a pair of unearned runs for Washington. The Marlins said improving their perennially shaky defense was a priority this season, but they’ve allowed eight unearned runs in six games.

The misplays forced ace Josh Johnson to throw extra pitches, and he departed after six innings. Johnson gave up three runs, one earned.

He retired the first 10 batters before giving up a bizarre hit: Werth slid headfirst into third base with a home run. The hit landed on top of the right-field wall, and Werth was unaware it had been ruled a homer until he reached third.

The call stood after a replay review, the second in as many nights for the umpire crew. A similar drive by Florida’s John Buck was ruled a triple rather than a homer Wednesday, and that call also was upheld.

The Marlins’ first two batters scored before John Lannan settled down. He allowed three runs in five-plus innings.

Announced attendance was 10,696, but the actual crowd totaled less than 5,000, creating an atmosphere so subdued that plate umpire Jeff Nelson could be heard from the skybox level during an angry exchange in the fifth inning.

“That’s enough,” Nelson shouted, pointing toward the Washington dugout. “That’s enough.”

The Nationals groused about ball-strike calls after Wednesday’s loss.

Bad throws by shortstop Hanley Ramirez and catcher Buck hurt Florida. Wilson Ramos reached in the fifth on Ramirez’s third error this season. A single sent Ramos to third, and he came home on Danny Espinosa’s groundout.

The Nationals scored another unearned run an inning later to take a 3-2 lead. Ian Desmond led off with a single, stole second and continued to third on a wild throw by Buck. Zimmerman followed with an RBI single.

Washington’s defense was bad too. After a single by Buck to lead off the sixth, Wes Helms’ drive near the 434-foot sign in center field was misplayed by Rick Ankiel, and the ball glanced off his glove for a double. Buck scored on Emilio Bonifacio’s groundout to make it 3-all.

NOTES: RF Mike Stanton, who missed his fifth consecutive start with a strained left hamstring, struck out pinch hitting in the ninth. The Marlins are hoping he’ll rejoin the lineup sometime this weekend at Houston. … Nationals LF Michael Morse, off to a 2-for-18 start, was held out of the lineup and grounded out as a pinch hitter.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Strasburg is thinking ahead to a year from now – when he wants to start the Washington Nationals’ first game of 2012.

The right-hander is recovering from September’s reconstructive surgery on his elbow, and will not be at Nationals Park for Thursday’s season opener against the Atlanta Braves.

He says Wednesday he knows the work he’s “putting in right now is going to let me be there next opening day – hopefully pitching it, too.”

Strasburg is throwing on flat ground from up to 105 feet and aims to throw off a mound in about a month. He’s expected to miss most or all of 2011.

He says the Nationals are watching him “like hawks” to make sure he doesn’t overdo his rehab work.

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

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Houston manager Brad Mills is impressed with his team’s ability to rally.

Anderson Hernandez capped a five-run ninth inning with a game-ending RBI single, giving the Houston Astros an 8-7 victory over the Washington Nationals Wednesday.

“I don’t put a lot of importance in winning games but in how we play them. … The quality at-bats we had today enabled us to come back the way we did,” Mills said. “Anytime you’re able to do that it feels good, and it’s happened to us three or four times this spring.”

Hernandez’s hit off Tyler Clippard followed extra-base hits by Drew Locke, Brandon Barnes and Brian Bogusevic after Clippard started the big inning with two walks. The Astros had only five hits when they came up in the ninth, down 7-3.

“He threw so many balls, I just waited for a fastball because I knew he was going to throw a strike,” Hernandez said of Clippard, who appeared in 78 games for the Nationals last season.

Nyjer Morgan’s three-run homer helped the Nationals take a 6-3 lead against Houston starter Brett Myers, and Wilson Ramos added a home run for the Nationals in the eighth.

Myers gave up six runs in five innings.

“I’m not too concerned about it because I had a lot more first-pitch strikes than last time,” said Myers, who threw 61 of his 83 pitches for strikes. “It’s not necessarily about pitch selection for me right now, it’s about repeating and hitting spots.”

Washington played a second straight game without third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and catcher Ivan Rodriguez, who are out with minor injuries.

“If it was a regular-season game, they’d be paying. We’re really going to watch it close, try not to let it fester,” said Washington manager Jim Riggleman.

The Astros scored three runs off Washington starter Ross Detwiler, who pitched three innings.

NOTES: Astros left-hander Wandy Rodriguez, scratched from his Tuesday start due to mild shoulder tendinitis, will throw a side session Friday and then be evaluated . . . Mills said he will soon name his opening day starter, which will almost certainly be Myers. Roy Oswalt has started the Astros’ last eight season openers.

JUPITER, Fla. – Now that Jason Marquis is healthy again, his statistics look a lot better, too.

Marquis pitched four scoreless innings Wednesday to help the Washington Nationals beat the Florida Marlins 8-4.

Marquis gave up two hits and one walk while striking out three, getting the win. The right-hander, who went 2-9 during an injury-plagued 2010, has yet to allow a run in seven spring training innings.

“It’s not really the results I’m happy about,” he said. “Obviously I’ll take it. But I’m making my pitches — down in the zone with good arm speed and action. That’s what you’re looking for.”

An All-Star with Colorado in 2009, Marquis signed a $15 million, two-year contract with the Nationals. But an elbow injury limited him to 13 starts last year, and he had an ERA of 6.60.

He has been much more efficient in spring training, averaging only 10 pitches per inning.

“If I could bring that to each outing, that’s what you’re looking for,” he said. “I’m just trying to build on each start and focus on my strength, which is to pound the strike zone early with my sinker and go from there.”

Danny Espinosa homered and drove in four runs for Washington, hiking his average to .455. Michael Morse had two hits to improve his average to .435 for the Nationals, who had 11 hits and are batting .304.

Javier Vazquez pitched the first four innings, allowed one run and was the loser. The Marlins newcomer said he was mindful he’ll likely face the NL East rival Nationals several times during the regular season.

“I want to get them out, but I don’t want to show them everything,” Vazquez said. “On some occasions I’m thinking that during the season, maybe I want to throw a different pitch there, so I don’t do that.”

Marquis said he and Nationals catcher Ivan Rodriguez were also thinking about the regular-season meetings between teams.

“I’m working on things and getting a feel for what their hitters want to do,” he said. “Pudge is getting a feel for the hitters and seeing what they’re doing in the box. We’ll stick it in the back of our minds, and hopefully we can pull out our bag of tricks if we need it.”

VIERA, Fla. – It’s been six years since the Washington Nationals drafted Ryan Zimmerman with the fourth overall pick in the 2005 MLB Draft.

He’s been an All-Star, a Gold Glove Award winner and a two-time Silver Slugger.

But it’s the team that comes first for Zimmerman.

FOX 5 Sports Director Dave Feldman has more with the star third baseman and the change he’s seen with the Nationals since his rookie season.