WASHINGTON -- Ryan Zimmerman came forward to make a head-high running catch on a slicing line drive off the bat of Chase Utley, a routine play that drew a disproportionately grand ovation from the home fans.
[b]Kevin Durant Jersey[/b] . "Thats almost the awkward part of it," Zimmerman said. "Yeah, I caught the ball. Yeah, like, I can catch a fly ball." He might have been embarrassed by all the fuss, but it was nevertheless a landmark moment in career of the player long considered the face of the Washington Nationals franchise. It was his first putout as an outfielder after more than 1,100 games as a third baseman, part of a good night all around for him and his club Tuesday in a 7-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Jordan Zimmermann rebounded from a mini-slump to throw eight scoreless innings, Zimmerman hit a pair of doubles and handled his two chances with aplomb in left field, and the Nationals moved back to .500 by taking the opener of the three-game series. "Theres nothing like getting into the first game and getting a couple of balls," Zimmerman said. "And getting a couple of hits helped, too." Zimmermann (4-2) allowed five hits and struck out four, recovering well from four middling starts that had raised his usually impeccable ERA to 4.07. He got all the support he needed when the Nationals scored three in the third inning off David Buchanan (1-2), making his third career start. "May was a pretty rough month for me, and hopefully June has better things to come," Zimmermann said. "I wanted to go nine, but eightll be good enough." Zimmerman went 2 for 4 with one RBI after being reinstated before the game following 44 games on the disabled list with a broken right thumb. Of greater interest was his move to the outfield, a switch necessitated by his throwing problems and the need for a strong hitter to play left field while Bryce Harper recovers from thumb surgery. Zimmerman said he was initially hesitant to try the outfield, but he realized his chronic shoulder problems mean his days as a regular third baseman are numbered. Ever the team player, he said he just wanted to help the club win -- even if theres likely not a Gold Glove in it for him, like the one he won playing third in 2009. "I feel like Im athletic enough to at least blend in," he said. "And not cause problems." Like many infielders-turned-outfielders before him, he learned the action isnt as fast and furious when stationed 300 feet from home plate. Playing deeper than a usual left fielder and using a glove borrowed from teammate Jayson Werth, he fielded only the liner from Utley and a shallow flyout by Marlon Byrd in the sixth before being removed for defensive replacement Nate McLouth after seven innings. There was no complaint about the lack of work. "That means our pitchers are doing a good job," Zimmerman said. "I just catch what comes to me." Its Zimmermans bat thats really needed by the Nationals, who slumped at the plate for most of last month and have been hovering around .500 in the NL East. They started hitting better in a weekend series against the Texas Rangers, however, and have scored 26 runs in their last four games. Zimmerman doubled to left in the second and to right in the fifth, and each time a black padded glove was brought to him to wear to protect his thumb as he ran the bases. Werth added a two-run double in the third, Denard Span had three hits, and Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon homered for the Nationals. The Phillies lost their fourth straight and were shut out for the eighth time this season, failing to get any impetus from a pregame team meeting called by manager Ryne Sandberg. Sandberg addressed focus and fundamentals, but theres only so much the manager could do about Zimmermanns mid-90s fastball and debilitating slider. Philadelphia is 9-18 since May 4. "We werent able to get anything going offensively, got shut down by a good pitcher," Sandberg said. "He kind of set the tone for the game." NOTES: The Phillies optioned RHP Phillippe Aumont to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and recalled RHP Ethan Martin from Lehigh Valley. ... Philadelphia signed RHP Jason Marquis to a minor league contract. He will report to Class-A Clearwater for extended spring training. ... Nationals LHP Gio Gonzalez, on the 15-day disabled list with an inflamed pitching shoulder, will make a rehab start with Single-A Potomac on Friday.
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[b]John Johnson Jersey[/b] . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. The Yankees starting rotation is a mess; Scott Cullen has notes on Michael Pineda, CC Sabathia, Matt Wieters, Brandon Belt, Adam LaRoche and more. INJURIES - Good thing for the Yankees that their Japanese pitchers, Hiroki Kuroda and Masahiro Tanaka, have been able to stay healthy. The rest of the starting rotation has already hit the DL. With Ivan Nova alread out for the season, RHP Michael Pineda was suspended for that whole Pine Tar thing, then suffered a strined muscle in his side that will likely keep him out until some time in June. Adding to those troubles, LHP CC Sabathia found out that he has fluid on his knee, requiring him to go to the DL too. RHP David Phelps has already joined the rotation, delivering mediocre results (4.35 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 4 K, 10 1/3 IP) in a couple of starts. Journeyman RHP Alfredo Aceves (1.98 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 14 K, 13 2/3 IP at AAA) is a decent bet to get a chance as a starter and, checking out their other options at Triple-A, 24-year-old RHP Chase Whitley (3-2, 2.49 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 32 K, 25 1/3 IP) has been really good and might be ready for a look. - Orioles C Matt Wieters is out with a strained right elbow, opening up room for Steve Clevenger to see more action for the next couple weeks. Clevenger has a .778 OPS in 46 plate appearances this year, but his major league career consists of 1 HR, 23 RBI, .213 AVG (.578 OPS) in 268 AB. Not much to get excited about at this point. - Giants 1B Brandon Belt was off to a nice start (9 HR, 18 RBI, .264 AVG, 18 R, 3 SB, .820 OPS), but has suffered a broken thumb that will keep him out six weeks. With C Buster Posey available to play first, that leaves more playing time for C Hector Sanchez and veteran utility man Joaquin Arias. - Brewers 3B Aramis Ramirez has a strained hamstring, which is resulting in Mark Reynolds moving across the diamond to third, and Lyle Overbay taking over at first base for Reynolds. Since the start of 2013, Overbay has hit 15 home runs with a .240 batting average in 513 at-bats. - Rangers 2B Donnie Murphy has landed on the DL with a strained neck and with Jurickson Profar already out, top prospect Rougned Odor gets the call for Texas. Odor is just 20-years-old, so this may be just a chance to get a taste of the big leagues, but he hass hit .
[b]Tom Chambers Jersey[/b]. 93 with 12 home runs and an .825 OPS in 263 Double-A at-bats since getting promoted last season. Right now, hes just a player to watch. - Nationals 1B Adam LaRoche has gone on the DL with a strained quad, and the Nats have brought Tyler Moore back from the minors. Moore has shown some power (16 HR, 53 RBI, .236 AVG, .713 OPS) in 356 careerat-bats, and destroys Triple-A pitching (19 HR, 72 RBI, .306 AVG, .975 OPS, 281 AB), so the chance to play regularly could provide some decent results. GOOD ADDS (Available in at least 40% of TSN leagues) Alcides Escobar, SS, Kansas City - 2 HR, 15 RBI, .276 AVG, 18 R, 127 AB (Available: 51.4%) Jedd Gyorko, 2B, San Diego - 5 HR, 19 RBI, .262 AVG, 11 R, 136 AB (Available: 51.5%) Gerardo Parra, RF, Arizona - 4 HR, 13 RBI, .275 AVG, 24 R, 160 AB (Available: 81.8%) A.J. Pollock, CF, Arizona - 3 HR, 7 RBI, .278 AVG, 14 R, 5 SB, 108 AB (Available: 98.6%) Seth Smith, LF, San Diego - 3 HR, 14 RBI, .330 AVG, 14 R, 106 AB (Available: 93.0%) Dillon Gee, RHP, N.Y. Mets - 3-1, 2.73 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 33 K, 52 2/3 IP (Available: 41.8%) Josh Beckett, RHP, Los Angeles - 0-1, 2.80 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 34 K, 35 1/3 IP (Available: 73.2%) Tom Koehler, RHP, Miami - 3-2, 1.99 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 29 K, 45 1/3 IP (Available: 76.0%) CLOSER NOTES - Reds LHP Aroldis Chapman returned to action, with 100 MPH fastballs, to close out Colorado Sunday, so Jonathan Broxton returns to the eighth inning role for the Reds. - Indians RHP John Axford surrendered five earned runs in three innings over his last four appearances and hes been bumped from the closers role, with the Tribe turning to a committee approach. RHP Bryan Shaw and RHP Cody Allen are the best options, with perhaps a slight edge to Shaw right now. - Angels RHP Ernesto Frieri pitched well enough after losing the closers role that hes now eligible for ninth-inning work again, splitting save duties with Joe Smith. - RHP Jeurys Familia may be next in line to close for the New York Mets. Its been up in the air since Bobby Parnell was injured, but Familia may be able to usurp Kyle Farnsworth. Scott Cullen can be reached at
Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at
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