Miami @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 3, 2013 ) Miami 0, Washington 3

While Stephen Strasburg garners most of the attention among the Washington Nationals' starters, Jordan Zimmermann also has the ability to turn some heads.
Zimmermann will try to build on his best season when host Washington goes for its third straight shutout over the Miami Marlins on Thursday in the finale of their three-game series. While the 26-year-old Auburndale, Wis., native is 24-26 lifetime, his career 3.47 ERA is an indication of how effective Zimmermann can be.

The Nationals were expected to be strong in the pitching department in 2013, and they haven't disappointed. Gio Gonzalez pitched six innings and delivered his second career homer in a 3-0 victory at chilly Nationals Park on Wednesday. That came on the heels of Strasburg's seven innings in Monday's 2-0 win. Bryce Harper, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year, followed Monday's multi-homer game with two more hits Wednesday, including a double off the wall.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Florida (Miami), MASN 2 (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins LH Wade LeBlanc (2012: 2-5, 3.67 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Jordan Zimmerman (12-8, 2.94)

LeBlanc, the lone left-hander in Miami's rotation, started only nine times in 25 games last season. He was 1-4 with a 4.18 in those contests. The 28-year-old Lake Charles, La., native started 48-of-49 games during the previous three years and was 16-19 during that span. He has tamed the Nationals with four scoreless relief appearances covering five innings. Left-handed hitting Adam LaRoche (3-for-7, homer) has the most experience against LeBlanc.

Zimmermann's spring training was highlighted by a stretch when he recorded 27 outs between allowing hits and also increased the use of his changeup. Zimmermann won his final three regular-season decisions in 2012 before getting roughed up by St. Louis for five runs in three innings in a 12-4 loss in Game 2 of their NL Division Series. He is 1-3 against Miami with a 4.43 ERA in eight starts. Giancarlo Stanton is 3-for-13 against Zimmermann - all home runs.

WALK-OFFS

1. Miami 1B Casey Kotchman left Wednesday's game after suffering an apparent hamstring injury while grounding into a double play in the fifth inning.

2. Stanton, who has 93 homers in his first three seasons - 71 in the past two years - is 1-for-7 with three strikeouts in 2013.

3. Washington begins a three-game series at Cincinnati on Friday in what many believe could be a meeting between playoff-bound teams while Miami continues
its season-opening six-game road trip against the New York Mets.

PREDICTION: Nationals 3, Marlins 2