The Washington Nationals continue on their 11-day West Coast road trip and the next leg takes them to the home of the San Francisco Giants where ace Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum (5-4, 2.59 ERA) is waiting for them in a 10:00 P.M. EST game at AT&T Park. The Nationals just finished splitting a four game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks, however they continue to have the National League's worst road record for any team.
Facing Lincecum is no small or easy task, but the Nationals have had surprising success against the pitcher nicknamed "The Freak." The Nationals are the only team Lincecum has a losing record against when he's started more than two games and is 1-2 in the last five starts. It will all depend on the Nationals offense who has been off and on for majority of the season. Inconsistent as it is, the Washington offense did end up scoring three runs off Lincecum in their last meeting and got the win in a shutout.
In hopes of having a similar outcome, the Nats send John Lannan (3-5, 4.05 ERA) to the mound to topple the defending World Champions. Lannan will look to start this three-game series right and get the win while continuing his own personal success where in the past two games he has pitched 13 innings and given up only one earned run.
Nationals Line-Up
1. Roger Bernadina, CF
2. Ian Desmond, SS
3. Jayson Werth, RF
4. Laynce Nix, LF
5. Michael Morse, 1B
6. Danny Espinosa, 2B
7. Ivan Rodriguez, C
8. Jerry Hairston jr., 3B
9 John Lannan, SP