Baltimore @ Washington preview
Nationals Park
Last Meeting ( May 21, 2010 ) Baltimore 5, Washington 3
The Washington Nationals began the season looking as if they could make some noise in the NL East.
The club is clearly still a work in progress, though. A loss to the lowly Baltimore Orioles was evidence of that.
Washington looks to get back on track on Saturday in the second of a three-game set with the Orioles, who own the worst record in baseball.
That last phrase has been synonymous with the Nationals, who have epitomized failure nearly every year since they made the nation’s capital their home in 2005. It has been especially bad the past three seasons, as the club has lost a total of 294 games.
Things were starting to look up at the start of 2010, though, as Washington began the season by winning 20 of its first 35 games.
But lately, the Nationals have reverted to their losing ways - making errors, failing to get clutch hits and pitching poorly. Washington managed just five hits in a 5-3 loss in Friday’s opener – its seventh defeat in eight contests.
The setback dropped the Nationals below .500 for the first time since April 15.
Adding injury to insult, their hottest starter, Scott Olsen left the game in the third inning with tightness in his surgically repaired left shoulder. Olsen’s 3.77 ERA is tops on the team amongst starters.
Aside from Olsen, Washington’s pitching has been terrible. Its ERA of 4.56 is the ninth-worst in baseball.
Craig Stammen (1-2, 5.86), who takes the hill on Saturday, has been part of the problem. The right-hander is 0-2 with a 4.71 ERA in his last five starts. The 26-year-old allowed four runs and six hits in six innings of Monday’s 6-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Stammen, who has never faced the Orioles, will be opposed by Brad Bergesen (3-3, 5.45).
Bergesen had been 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA in his previous three starts before allowing four runs – three earned - and 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 4-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday.
He is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in two career starts vs. Washington.
The right-hander will benefit from the likely return of Matt Wieters to the lineup. The second-year catcher sat out Friday after injuring his knee on a foul tip the previous day. Wieters is hitting .262 with four home runs and 13 RBIs.
His teammate Adam Jones is also expected to be in the lineup, despite leaving Friday’s opener early. Jones hit his first homer since April 24 - a two-run shot - then exited in the third inning with leg cramps.
The Orioles certainly hope he is able to go. The fifth-year center fielder is hitting .339 (18-for-53) in his last 14 games.
Jones and Wieters will try and help the Orioles to their sixth win in the last eight meetings with Washington.