The Washington Nationals kick off the second half of their season on Friday night against the Atlanta Braves in Atlanta and they hope the same luck and success that put them at .500 by the mid-season break continues to be with them. They are going to need it as they will be facing Tim Hudson and a burning Braves team that is beginning to put the heat on the division leading Philadelphia Phillies.
The first half of the Nationals 2011 season began with a pitching performance from right-hander Livan Hernandez on Opening Day. The second half will begin the same way only the Nationals hope the results are different (Nats lost 2-0 on Opening Day). Hernandez will be looking to redeem himself from that Opening Day performance and his last performance which entered the Nationals history books as he gave up six runs in one inning which acted as a catalyst to the Nationals blowing an eight run lead against the Chicago Cubs, the largest blown lead in franchise history.
Behind Hernandez will be the usual cast of characters. The Nationals big guns in Danny Espinosa, Michael Morse, Laynce Nix and Wilson Ramos are all in the first line-up of the second half and hope to continue their first half success. Right fielder Jayson Werth and third baseman Ryan Zimmerman are rested and hopefully relaxed and they will seek to break out of a string of slumps and bad luck.
First pitch is at 7:35 P.M.
Nationals Line-Up
Roger Bernadina CF
Danny Espinosa 2B
Ryan Zimmerman 3B
Michael Morse 1B
Laynce Nix LF
Jayson Werth RF
Wilson Ramos C
Ian Desmond SS
Livan Hernandez SP