Arizona @ Washington preview
Nationals Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 5, 2010 ) Washington 4, Arizona 8
Washington got pelted by rain Thursday night. Unfortunately, it was not enough rain to postpone the Nationals’ game against Florida. After a two-hour delay, the Florida Marlins shut out the Nationals 5-0, extending their losing streak to five games.
The Nationals (49-66) get no breaks when they open a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.
Joe Saunders, tonight’s starter for Arizona, threw a five-hitter against them in a 6-1 victory on Aug. 3 for the fifth complete game of his career.
Washington, which lost a season-high six consecutive games June 15-20, has dropped a season-high four in a row at home.
The numbers for the Nationals have been hideous during the five-game skid. They are batting just .198 and have been outscored 33-12. Their starters have a 7.33 ERA. The Nationals also were 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position Thursday night.
But the streak could come to a halt tonight when John Lannan (3-5, 5.44 ERA) goes up against Saunders (1-1, 3.27) in a matchup of left-handers.
Saunders was distraught when he was traded July 25 from the Los Angeles Angels along with two minor-leaguers for Arizona ace right-hander Dan Haren.
Saunders got a no-decision in his first start for the Diamondbacks (46-70), but struck out five and allowed just one run against Washington. In that game, he gave up a home run to Ryan Zimmerman in the first inning but settled down and gave up little after that.
On Sunday against San Diego, Saunders allowed six run in six inning of a 10-1 loss.
Lannan is 2-1 with a miniscule 0.47 ERA in three career starts against the Diamondbacks. In 19 innings against Arizona, he has allowed one run, although he has walked 11.
The lefty was sent to Double-A Harrisburg in late June but has two solid starts since coming back on Aug. 1. He has allowed four runs in 11 innings.
Lannan is the last Nationals starter to get a victory, limiting the Los Angeles Dodgers to three runs – two earned – on five hits in six innings of a 6-3 victory last Friday. He is 0-2 with a 5.80 ERA at Nationals Park this season.
Ryan Church has hit well against Lannan, with a .385 average (5-for-13), two homers, three doubles and six RBIs.
Nationals left fielder Josh Willingham missed his second straight game Thursday because of an unspecified left knee injury. He suffered the injury in April and said he might need offseason surgery.