Help On The Way: Injury Report

With the league gearing back up for an exciting second half of baseball, lets take a look at some injured Nats who hope to make an impact.

Back Soon:

• Xavier Nady: 15 day DL with wrist soreness.  Played in rehab game July 8.
• With Nady returning decisions have to be made about Moore's,or possibly another bench player's, place on the team.
• Drew Storen: 60 day DL with elbow bone chip.  Played in rehab game July 9.
• What will happen to T-clip and Burnett in the pen?  Storen will most likely slide into the set-up roll.
• Chad Tracy: 15 day DL with groin tear. Held out of rehab game July 7 with soreness. 
• After undergoing surgery on May 28, soreness is expected.  Ahead of schedule to return.  

Back Later:

• Chien-Ming Wang: 15 day DL with hip strain. Rehab game scheduled July 13.
• Despite struggles, Nats need Wang and Lannan in top form with a Strasburg shutdown looming.

Back Eventually:

• Jayson Werth: 60 day DL with broken wrist. Will start swing a bat again after All Star Break.
• When Werth returns Davey will have to adjust how he uses guys like Lombardozzi.

Strasburg Shines, Nats Get Win in Fenway

Nationals 7, Red Sox 4

Thanks to a huge performance by Stephen Strasburg the Nationals got a win in Fenway, the first in team history.  Strasburg was feeling it tonight and, besides a small 2-run hiccup in the 2nd, made it look easy out there.  He went 6 innings, threw a career high 119 pitches, and fanned 13 Boston batters on his way to win number 7.  Strasburg underlined his night by striking out Youkilis with the bases loaded to end the 6th inning, sending Youks into a fit of rage that would get him ejected.

Some nights this season if our starter gave up 2 runs we would have been in trouble.  Tonight was not one of those nights.  Espinosa, Harper, Zimmerman, and Desmond all had terrific nights at the plate.  Desmond continued to be "Mr. Clutch" when he hit a two out double in the 3rd inning to give the Nat's the lead.  Harper added to his homer run total with a monster 2 run homer that traveled over 420 feet.  Harper was only a triple away from hitting for the cycle tonight.

Brad Lidge was brought into his first game since his injury earlier in the year for the 9th inning with a 7-3 lead.  We all know that Lidge can be really good or really bad.  Tonight he was more the later, walking .180 hitting Nick Punto, who came around to score on a double, cutting the lead to three.

T-clip was rushed into the game once it became a save situation.  He got the final two outs against Pedroia and Gonzalez for his 6th save on the year.

O yes...tonight's game might have been 1 run closer if not for this sure-fire #1 web gem by Xavier Nady in the 3rd inning.  What. A. Play.