Early Saturday afternoon Washington Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa went on Twitter just before leaving for Nationals Park and wrote:
@DannyEspinosa18: On the way to the field. Gotta make the series even today
No truer words have been said. The Nationals will be looking to rebound after losing Friday night to the Colorado Rockies by one run and witnessing a frightful event where starter John Lannan was hit in the face by a line drive from Ty Wigginton. Lannan was okay, but no doubt his teammate's thoughts were on their wounded friend and peer as is probably the sting of blowing the biggest lead in franchise history on Thursday night to the Chicago Cubs and having dropped their last two games. The Nationals would like to end the first half of the season on a high note and maintain a .500 record or better going into the All-Star Break next week.
A lot will be riding on their starting pitcher Jason Marquis (7-3, 4.11 ERA). Marquis is looking for a bit of redemption himself for a miserable last start against the Pittsburgh Pirates where he went 1 1/3 innings allowing seven runs, six earned, on eight hits. Marquis is a lot better than that so the Nationals are hoping his last start was just "one of those games" all pitchers tend to have occasionally-- as long as it stays occasionally. The veteran right hander will be squaring off his former team and pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez (3-8, 4.39 ERA).
Catcher Jesus Flores returns to the Nationals Saturday night. He was recently called up from Triple-A Syracuse to back-up Wilson Ramos after veteran catcher Ivan Rodriguez was placed on the 15-Day DL due to back soreness.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 P.M.
Nationals Line-Up
Roger Bernadina - CF
Danny Espinosa - 2B
Ryan Zimmerman - 3B
Laynce Nix- LF
Michael Morse - 1B
Jayson Werth - RF
Jesus Flores - C
Ian Desmond - SS
Jason Marquis - SP