San Diego @ Washington preview
Nationals Park
Last Meeting ( May 30, 2010 ) Washington 2, San Diego 3
The San Diego Padres have had plenty of success on the road this season. The Washington Nationals believe they have what it takes to make the road a bit more bumpy.
The Padres attempt to extend their road winning streak Tuesday, when they visit Livan Hernandez and the Washington Nationals in the opener of a three-game series.
San Diego owns not only the best overall record in the National League but the best mark away from home at 22-14. Only the Tampa Bay Rays at 28-14 have a better road record in the major leagues.
The Padres have won three consecutive road games and five of their last six. But in Hernandez, they face a pitcher who has not allowed more than two runs in any of his home starts this season.
Hernandez is 4-1 with a 1.75 ERA in nine outings at Nationals Park in 2010. The 35-year-old is 3-0 at home since suffering a 2-0 loss to the Colorado Rockies on April 22, when he yielded only two runs and four hits in eight innings.
On Thursday, Hernandez turned in another impressive home start, limiting the New York Mets to one run and seven hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings, but did not factor in the decision of Washington's 2-1 victory.
The veteran right-hander is 2-1 in seven overall starts since falling, 4-2, at the San Francisco Giants on May 25.
Hernandez owns a 12-7 record with a 4.46 ERA in 27 career outings against the Padres. He last faced San Diego on May 30, when he yielded two runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings, settling for a no-decision in Washington's 3-2 loss at PETCO Park.
Hernandez has had trouble with Padres slugger Adrian Gonzalez, who is 8-for-30 (.267) with four home runs and 11 RBIs against the Cuban native.
Just 4-6 in their last 10 home games, the Nationals will face Clayton Richard, who is coming off a fine outing against Colorado. The 26-year old held the Rockies to two runs and five hits over seven innings, registering a career-high 10 strikeouts in a 13-3 triumph.
Richard has not allowed more than four earned runs in any of his 16 starts this season and has yielded three or less in 14 outings. In five of his last six starts, he has limited the opposition to two earned runs or fewer.
The left-hander has contributed to San Diego's road success this year, going 3-1 with a 2.29 ERA in six outings away from home.
Richard has faced the Nationals twice in his brief career, posting a 1-1 record with a 3.29 ERA. Washington is one of the two teams to score four earned runs against Richard, who allowed just four hits over seven innings in a 5-3 loss on May 28.