NL East standings, after the third road trip

I’m feeling a little beaten up by that road trip, which is odd, given the Nationals played .500 ball. The team lost one series and won one series, going 1-2 and 2-1 against the Pirates and Reds, respectively. I’d hoped for better.

Wilson Ramos’ torn ACL is part of why I feel beaten up. I hate to see anyone suffer a serious injury, but given Wilson’s off-season ordeal, I have extra empathy knowing he faces surgery and rehabilitation, when he should be playing baseball.

And then there’s last night’s blown save by OMFGHROD, Henry Rodriguez. I know that Henry isn’t the only reason we lost the game, but it’s painful to watch things unravel over 28 excruciating pitches. Two walks and a grand slam by Joey Votto? Why don’t you just stick toothpicks in my eyes?

For the road trip, Henry had two saves and two blown saves. He accomplished Saturday’s 3-out save against the Reds with an impressive 10 pitches, but I still wanted to die the whole time. Please Davey, use Henry in the 7th inning. I’m not sure I can take much more.

Which makes today a perfect day to welcome the team home. Starting with two games each against the Padres and the Pirates, the Nationals have an opportunity to start rolling again before what will no-doubt be an exciting series against the Orioles (22-13). How the heck did they end up leading the AL East?

Let’s go Nats!

And now Wilson Ramos? I almost don’t want to hear the extent of his knee injury.

The Nationals are fortunate to have a terrific backup catcher in Jesus Flores, but my heart breaks for Ramos. After the kidnapping ordeal last fall, the last thing I want for him is time away from his teammates.

Get well soon, Wilson. We miss you already.

Photo: Wilson Ramos suits up in the bullpen before a game against the Houston Astros on April 19.

Photo: Bernadina heads for second after hitting a double against the Reds on April 13.

NL East standings, after the second home stand

Whew! Did that homestand have enough drama for you? For me the highlight was Bryce Harper, who represented my team well with his play and his maturity. The lowlight was Jayson Werth’s broken wrist, just as Werth was hitting his stride and beginning to win over skeptics. Ugh!

By the end of the weekend, the good guys had won both series (2-1 over the Diamondbacks and 2-1 over the Phillies) and still led the National League East. I was at the ballpark for all of the wins and none of the losses, and I’m starting to wonder if I need to attend every game.

Today, the Nationals begin a six-game trip to play three games each at Pittsburg (12-16) and Cincinnati (15-13). I like our odds to win both series. Let’s go Nats!

According to the Washington Post and others, Jayson Werth had surgery today on his broken left wrist. He’s likely to be out for months. Werth broke the wrist making a sliding catch in a game against the Phillies on Sunday, May 6.

This fangirl wishes Jayson a full and speedy recovery.

Photo: Jayson Werth takes the field on Saturday, May 5, sometime after hitting a 3-run bomb against his former team. 

Gio Gonzales had 7 strikeouts in 7 innings, while allowing only 4 hits, one run, and one walk. He also hit a double and scored a run, drawing wild cheers for the hit and loving guffaws for his not-so-stylish baserunning.

Several guys were hot at the plate. Steve Lombardozzi, Rick Ankiel, and Chad Tracy were all 3 for 4. Lombardozzi added a walk and scored a run, Ankiel had an RBI, and Tracy scored two runs and had two RBI.

But my favorite hit was Jayson Werth’s 3-run home run in the bottom of the 5th, a blast that provided all the runs the Nationals would need. Given the abuse Werth takes from Phillies fans, and their relative quiet after his hit, that home run had to be pretty nice for Jayson.

Photo: Jayson Werth is congratulated by teammates after hitting a 3-run home run against his former team. Who knows what the mirroring thing with Rick Ankiel means, but if it makes them happy, I’m for it.

In last night’s 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, the good guys never led until the bottom of the 11th, when Wilson Ramos hit a walk-off single to score Steve Lombardozzi from third.

It was a joyous ending to a stress-filled inning.

With the game tied at 3, Tyler Moore and Ian Desmond led off with 2 outs. Ugh! The Nats were running out of players, with only Ramos and starting pitchers left on the bench. Ryan Mattheus and Sean Burnett were the only men in the bullpen.

Next, Steve Lombardozzi singled on a 1-1 count, Bryce Harper walked after starting in a 0-2 hole, and Jason Werth walked on 5 pitches. A single wins it, but up to this point the Nationals had left 21 (21!) men on base.

Enter Ramos, who of course worked a full count. On pitch number six, game over. Yay Wilson! Go Nats!

Photo: A shaving-cream-covered Wilson Ramos hugs Jesus Flores after hitting a walk-off single in the Nationals 4-3 win over the Phillies.

With today’s 5-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Nationals brought fans another exciting ending. Out of 15 wins so far this year, seven have been by one run.

It’s fun, but it may kill me.

Bryce Harper put on a hitting show, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI. And Ian Desmond triggered the victory horn when he hit a 2-run, walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

Great stuff, but I also liked the rundown in the top of the ninth, which erased a D-backs baserunner and yielded my photo of the day.

Photo: Danny Espinosa chases Arizona shortstop John McDonald, who tried but failed to steal second. 

NL East standings, after the second road trip

That road trip could have been more fun, but hey, we’re still 14 and 8 and tied for first in the NL East. Our starting pitching is awesome; In two games, Bryce Harper gave the world a glimpse of his ridiculous talent; and Tyler Moore hit the ball in his major-league debut.

Winning the Padres series 2-1 was nice, but it stung to lose all three against the Dodgers. Or maybe more accurately, Saturday’s loss stung because we really should have had that one. And then there’s my effort to organize my life to follow West Coast games and get enough sleep. Score that one #Natsfangirlfail.

With the team back home, let’s win a couple of series over the Diamondbacks and Phillies.

My goodness. That was some baseball game, although I would have preferred a different ending than a 4-3 win by the Dodgers in 10 innings.

Bryce Harper logged his first major-league hit and RBI, and his arm made its own debut with a bullet from left to home. Stephen Strasburg was terrific, logging 9 strikeouts in 7 innings, while allowing just 5 hits and one earned run. Strasburg also hit a double and came thiiiiiis close to adding a 3-run homer.

And then there’s Henry Rodriguez. In two-thirds of an inning, Rodriguez tortured Nationals fans by allowing 3 hits and 2 earned runs. He threw 3 wild pitches, and for all I knew, his next pitch might have landed in my living room in DC.

I’m always a wreck when Henry is pitching. When is Drew Storen coming back?

Photo: From a game with a happier ending, on April 18, Henry Rodriguez earns the save in a 3-2 win over the Houston Astros.