Nationalsclub.com | Washington Nationals News, nationals Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div> --OF Ryan Langerhans recorded his first hit in seven at-bats this season Thursday, but he picked a good time to come through in the clutch. Langerhans' pinch RBI single in the seventh inning brought the Nationals back from a 2-1 deficit to tie the game against the Padres. "It felt good to get up there and come through in that situation," he said. "I've hit a couple of balls hard, so it was nice to get one to fall." Langerhans, who was promoted from Class AAA Columbus (Ohio) on May 23, also made a dazzling defensive play in the eighth inning, robbing 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff of a home run with a leaping grab at the left field fence.</div>--LHP Charlie Manning was called up from Class AAA Columbus (Ohio) last week because the Nationals wanted to see if the 29-year-old reliever could get big-league left-handed hitters out. So far, Manning has struggled mightily in that department. He allowed a tiebreaking homer to Padres 1B Adrian Gonzalez on Tuesday night and then served up a tiebreaking, three-run homer to OF Jody Gerut on Thursday, leading to a 5-2 loss. Both homers came on sliders over the plate, something Manning realizes he can't do in the big leagues. "When I get ahead of a guy, I really need to try to put him away instead of just kind of messing around and leaving balls over the plate," he said. "That's the adjustment: throw quality strikes and not just strikes." --3B Ryan Zimmerman missed his fourth consecutive game Thursday with a sore left shoulder, but he said his condition is improving and he hopes to be back in the lineup Friday at Arizona. --RHP Saul Rivera may be showing signs of fatigue after racking up a huge workload early in the season. Rivera, who has appeared in 29 games (second-most in the NL, behind teammate RHP Luis Ayala), has suffered two losses and a blown save in his last three appearances. Rivera was handed his latest loss Thursday in San Diego, when he allowed back-to-back singles in the eighth inning and then watched as both men scored on PH Jody Gerut's homer off LHP Charlie Manning. "He's in a rut right now," manager Manny Acta said. "He's not making good pitches." --OF Wily Mo Pena continues to struggle to get himself going at the plate. Pena struck out three times in as many at-bats Thursday, dropping his average to .207. In 36 games, he's managed only one homer and eight RBIs, though the Nationals remain committed to keeping him in the starting lineup for now because there are no viable alternatives. BY THE NUMBERS: 721 -- Days since Ryan Zimmerman and Austin Kearns were both been out of the Nationals' lineup, which happened Monday with Zimmerman taking a day off and Kearns on the disabled list. The last time was June 5, 2006, before the Nationals traded for Kearns. QUOTE TO NOTE: "If they want to go ahead and test me and throw fastballs in there, that's fine." -- 3B Ryan Zimmerman, on whether he's worried opponents know he is fighting a sore shoulder.

--OF Ryan Langerhans recorded his first hit in seven at-bats this season Thursday, but he picked a good time to come through in the clutch. Langerhans' pinch RBI single in the seventh inning brought the Nationals back from a 2-1 deficit to tie the game against the Padres. "It felt good to get up there and come through in that situation," he said. "I've hit a couple of balls hard, so it was nice to get one to fall." Langerhans, who was promoted from Class AAA Columbus (Ohio) on May 23, also made a dazzling defensive play in the eighth inning, robbing 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff of a home run with a leaping grab at the left field fence.

--LHP Charlie Manning was called up from Class AAA Columbus (Ohio) last week because the Nationals wanted to see if the 29-year-old reliever could get big-league left-handed hitters out. So far, Manning has struggled mightily in that department. He allowed a tiebreaking homer to Padres 1B Adrian Gonzalez on Tuesday night and then served up a tiebreaking, three-run homer to OF Jody Gerut on Thursday, leading to a 5-2 loss. Both homers came on sliders over the plate, something Manning realizes he can't do in the big leagues. "When I get ahead of a guy, I really need to try to put him away instead of just kind of messing around and leaving balls over the plate," he said. "That's the adjustment: throw quality strikes and not just strikes."

--3B Ryan Zimmerman missed his fourth consecutive game Thursday with a sore left shoulder, but he said his condition is improving and he hopes to be back in the lineup Friday at Arizona.

--RHP Saul Rivera may be showing signs of fatigue after racking up a huge workload early in the season. Rivera, who has appeared in 29 games (second-most in the NL, behind teammate RHP Luis Ayala), has suffered two losses and a blown save in his last three appearances. Rivera was handed his latest loss Thursday in San Diego, when he allowed back-to-back singles in the eighth inning and then watched as both men scored on PH Jody Gerut's homer off LHP Charlie Manning. "He's in a rut right now," manager Manny Acta said. "He's not making good pitches."

--OF Wily Mo Pena continues to struggle to get himself going at the plate. Pena struck out three times in as many at-bats Thursday, dropping his average to .207. In 36 games, he's managed only one homer and eight RBIs, though the Nationals remain committed to keeping him in the starting lineup for now because there are no viable alternatives.

BY THE NUMBERS: 721 -- Days since Ryan Zimmerman and Austin Kearns were both been out of the Nationals' lineup, which happened Monday with Zimmerman taking a day off and Kearns on the disabled list. The last time was June 5, 2006, before the Nationals traded for Kearns.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "If they want to go ahead and test me and throw fastballs in there, that's fine." -- 3B Ryan Zimmerman, on whether he's worried opponents know he is fighting a sore shoulder.