MetalSeadramons Gemach » The only starter in single digits was Nene

HOUSTON -- After hitting just .136 last April, the Washington Nationals are certainly enjoying the way Adam LaRoche has started this season. LaRoche continued his hot start Tuesday night, hitting a tying double in the eighth inning and a go-ahead single in the ninth to lift the Nationals over the Houston Astros 4-3. "Its good for him because hes not traditionally a fast starter," manager Matt Williams said. "He really focused on it in spring training and really focused on driving one in. Hes going to hit homers with guys on base but that ones big for us as evidenced tonight. If he can do that the homers will come ... but when he can consistently drive runs in like that were a better team." Jayson Werth homered as the Nationals won the opener of the interleague series. Denard Span drew a leadoff walk in the ninth, stole second and advanced to third on a groundout. He scored on LaRoches hit to right field off Josh Fields (0-3). "When Im feeling pretty good, one, Im taking some walks and two, Im using the whole field," LaRoche said. LaRoche is hitting .312 with four home runs, 17 RBIs and 16 walks in 2014. Tyler Clippard (2-2) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win. Rafael Soriano walked two in a scoreless ninth for his fifth save. Werth hit fourth home run in the first inning. Houston scored three times in the third for a 3-2 lead, helped by rookie George Springers two-run single. Houston manager Bo Porter was troubled that his team let another one get away late. "Its very concerning, because our starting pitcher did a very good job," he said. "You feel like you are in position to win the game, you have the right guys matched up, and you just dont get it done." Werth singled to start the eighth and scored on LaRoches double to left-centre field. Center fielder Dexter Fowler tracked the ball to the wall, but it glanced off his glove as he crashed to the ground. The Nationals went on to load the bases before Chad Qualls struck out Jose Lobaton. Washington starter Gio Gonzalez allowed five hits and three runs, striking out a season-high nine in six innings. Houstons Jarred Cosart gave up five hits, two runs and struck out six in six innings in his first career start against an NL team. Cosart hit Kevin Frandsen with a pitch to start the third inning and he scored on a double by Lobaton to make it 2-0. Houstons first hit was a double by Matt Dominguez to open the third and he moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Jonathan Villar. Fowlers two-out single cut Washingtons lead to 2-1 and extended his hitting streak to nine games. Jason Castro reached on a double when the ball bounced off the padding on the wall in left field -- Frandsen saved a run when he made a nifty no-look, backhanded stop on the carom. He said he simply got lucky on the play and shared what he told his teammates when they asked how he did it. "You stick your glove out and maybe some things go in there," he said with a laugh. Springers single on a line drive to left field put Houston ahead. The Nationals had another good defensive play when Span ran up Tals Hill in centre field and landed on his backside as he caught a fly ball hit by Dominguez for the second out of the fourth inning. NOTES: These teams wrap up the two-game series on Wednesday when Houston LHP Brett Oberholtzer opposes RHP Jordan Zimmermann. ... Washington OF Bryce Harper had surgery on his injured left thumb on Tuesday and will be out for an extended period of time. Harper was injured on Friday night against San Diego on a headfirst slide into third base on a triple. ... Houston RHP Scott Feldman, on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 18 with right biceps tendinitis, said he felt good after throwing 35 pitches in a bullpen session on Tuesday. He is eligible to come off the DL on May 3. Stitched Penguins Jerseys . 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Chris Archer lasted 2 1/3 innings in the no-decision, charged with a run and five hits, and Alex Torres suffered the loss in relief.WASHINGTON -- If Trevor Ariza can hit every 3-pointer he takes, if four starters can routinely score 20 points, if Marcin Gortat can keep asserting him as an inside scoring threat, and, well, if the opponent is always the Orlando Magic, the Washington Wizards will do just fine without Nene. In their first game since their Brazilian big mans latest injury, the Wizards took advantage of a favourable opponent and showed they know how to win without him. John Wall had 27 points and seven assists, Trevor Ariza scored 22 points by making all five of his 3s, and Gortat added 21 points and 10 rebounds Tuesday night in a 115-106 win over the Magic. "I automatically tried to put myself in the situation to score," said Gortat, who was 9 for 13 from the field. "I yell to John. Sometimes hes going to yell back at me, then I would just say, Hey, Nenes not here. This is what Ive got to do to lead this team, help this team inside, and Im going to run to the block and demand the ball, and I believe Im capable of doing it." Bradley Beal added 21 points, giving Washington four 20-point scorers for the first time since April 6, 2010. The Wizards have won a season-high four in a row to move one game above .500. They also improved to 2-6 this season without the pivotal but oft-injured Nene, who sprained the MCL in his left knee Sunday in a win at Cleveland and is expected to miss six weeks. Victor Oladipo scored 26 points and Nikola Vucevic added 19 points and 14 rebounds for the Magic, who tied a single-season franchise record by losing their 16th consecutive road game. They remain without leading scorer Arron Afflalo, who missed his second game with a sprained right ankle. "We scored," Vucevic said. "We just couldnt get stops, and you cant do that on the road." In case there was any thought that Nenes injury would give the Wizards a convenient excuse to miss the post-season for the sixth straight year, owner Ted Leonsis began the day with a wakeup call via his blog, posting "Our goals have not changed in any way" and the team must overcome injuries and "whatever else comes our way." Leonsis has made it cleaar that another year in the NBA lottery would not be acceptable.dddddddddddd The Wizards sit in fifth place in the weak Eastern Conference, and coach Randy Wittman and team president Ernie Grunfeld are both in the last season of their contracts. The Wizards are 60-61 when Nene plays and 9-34 when he doesnt since he was acquired in a trade two years ago. Washington also played Tuesdays game without forward Kevin Seraphin, who has a sore right knee. For the players, Leonsis message was hardly necessary. Theyre also tired of having the season end in mid-April. "If youre an All-Star and those type of players, youve got to step up and take on a bigger role," said Wall, who played in his first All-Star game this month. "And thats a situation Im willing to accept and do. ... Just having that energy that I have when play good against those other good point guards, to do it on a consistent basis, thats something I really have to step up to another level with Nene being out." The only starter in single digits was Nenes fill-in, Trevor Booker, who had three points and seven rebounds. The team planned to sign Drew Gooden to a 10-day contract in time for the next game, Thursday against the Toronto Raptors. The Wizards led for nearly the entire game, but it was never a blowout. Washington had a 17-point lead in the second and third quarters, but Oladipo and Vucevic led an 11-0 run to cut the deficit to six late in the third. The Magic got as close as eight in the final period, but Ariza got a fortuitous bounce on a 3-pointer to restore a comfortable lead. "I guess Ive been living right, doing the right things," Ariza said. "The shot clock was running down. It hit the front of the rim, I think it hit the backboard and went in, so its all good." NOTES: Orlando had no fast-break points. ... The Magic also lost 16 road games in a row in a single season in early 2006. The franchise record over more than one season is 17 -- the final 12 road games of last season and the first five of this season. ... The Magic had two new faces on the bench. C Dewayne Dedmon and swingman Adonis Thomas signed 10-day deals earlier in the day. ' ' '