Washington @ Detroit preview
Comerica Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 16, 2010 ) Washington 3, Detroit 8
This interleague road thing isn't going very well for the Washington Nationals
Fortunately for the Nationals, they'll get a break from it all after Thursday's game in Detroit.
Washington lost its first two games away from home against American League teams in Cleveland on Friday and Saturday. The Nationals won on Sunday behind Stephen Strasburg, but dropped the first two of this series to the Tigers.
Take away Strasburg's victory and the Nationals have been completely outplayed in their trek through the AL Central. The starting pitching has been bad and the offense hasn't been very good, either. Falling behind early and not being able to catch up is a formula for disaster, which is why the Nationals are 1-4 in this stretch.
Washington has been outscored 29-10 in its losses on this trip, but there is a silver lining.
Fortunately for the Nationals, they won't have to worry about an interleague road game for a while. Washington hosts the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City the next six games before traveling to Baltimore next weekend.
The Nationals will end this six-game swing the same way they started it, with right-hander Luis Atilano (5-3) on the mound. He'll need to a better job of keeping the ball in the park if he wants his team to stay in the game this time.
On Friday against the Indians, Atilano gave up a three-run homer and a solo homer to Austin Kearns and a solo shot to Travis Hafner. He allowed six runs (three earned) in five innings and was given the hook after the first two batters in the sixth reached base.
Atilano has given up eight home runs in 56 innings, so pitching in spacious Comerica Park could work to his advantage.
Although he has only one win in his last 11 starts, Jeremy Bonderman (2-4) has shown signs of progress after missing most of the last two seasons with arm problems. Not only has his velocity picked up, he has started to eat up some innings, having pitched at least seven innings in four of his six last starts. He held Pittsburgh to two runs in seven innings in his last start.
Bonderman's last win came when he held Oakland to one run in six innings on May 20. He has five no-decisions in 11 starts.
The Tigers have won five straight and nine of 11.