Pittsburgh @ Washington preview
Nationals Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 8, 2010 ) Pittsburgh 2, Washington 5
The Washington Nationals' pitching phenom more than lived up to the hype. The Pittsburgh Pirates are hoping their top hurling prospect can do the same.
Brad Lincoln looks to follow in Stephen Strasburg's footsteps tonight when he takes the mound for the Pirates against the Nationals.
The top overall pick in last year's draft, Strasburg made his major league debut on Tuesday with a sellout crowd, a throng of media members and an eager nation watching with anticipation.
The 21-year-old did not disappoint, allowing two runs and four hits in seven innings.
Strasburg did not walk a batter and recorded 14 strikeouts, the most by a pitcher making his big league debut since Houston's J.R. Richard fanned 15 San Francisco Giants in 1971.
The 14 strikeouts by Strasburg, who fanned the final seven batters he faced, tied him with Detroit's Max Scherzer for most in a game this season. Scherzer struck out 14 Oakland Athletics on May 30.
While not being counted on to quite match Strasburg's accomplishments, Lincoln also comes with high expectations. Drafted fourth overall in 2006, the 25-year-old righty has had several detours on his road to the majors.
Lincoln missed much of 2006 with an oblique strain before Tommy John surgery kept him sidelined for the entire 2007 campaign.
He needed the next two years to work his way back into top form, which he has appeared to reach as evidenced by his 6-2 record and 3.16 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings with Triple-A Indianapolis this season.
Lincoln will be opposed by veteran Livan Hernandez, who has had a strong first two months of the campaign. Despite going 0-2 in his last six starts, Hernandez has allowed more than three earned runs just once in 11 outings this season.
The 35-year-old Hernandez has made 14 career starts against the Pirates, posting a 4-4 record. Pittsburgh's Lastings Milledge, a former member of the Nationals, has had success against Hernandez during his career, collecting four hits - including a double - in six at-bats.
In addition to Strasburg, Washington called upon the middle of its batting order Tuesday to hand Pittsburgh its third straight loss and fourth in five games.
With the Pirates ahead 2-1 thanks to Delwyn Young's two-run homer in the fourth, Adam Dunn put the Nationals in front for good with a two-run blast of his own - his 11th homer of the year - in the sixth. Josh Willingham followed with his 11th shot, giving Washington a 4-2 advantage.
Dunn's homer was his first since May 27.