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Nationals put hot streak on line against Pirates

Thu 1st, May 2008

(Sports Network) - The Washington Nationals shoot for a season high fourth straight win when they open a four-game series versus the Pittsburgh Pirates this evening at brand-new Nationals Park.

The Nationals have won three straight, five of six and six of their last eight games, including Wednesday's 3-2 victory in 12 innings over the Atlanta Braves in the finale of a two-game set.

Felipe Lopez was the hero for Washington after he singled home Austin Kearns with the game-winning run in the 12th. Ronnie Belliard earlier worked a five- pitch walk off of Braves relief pitcher Manny Acosta to force in the tying run and set the table for Lopez.

Washington starter Shawn Hill gave up just one run on four hits and two walks in eight innings of work for the no decision. After Jon Rauch and Luis Ayala each hurled a scoreless inning of relief, Saul Rivera picked up the win despite giving up the go-ahead run in the top of the 12th.

The Nats improved to 5-2 on an 11-game homestand in their new digs.

Odalis Perez will take the ball for Washington tonight and is still in search of his first win of the season. Perez is 0-3 with a 3.31 earned run average in six starts this year, having posted back-to-back no decisions after a personal three-start losing streak.

Perez last took the hill on Friday versus the Chicago Cubs and did not factor in the outcome of a 5-3 Washington victory. He allowed just a pair of runs and five hits over six innings of work.

The bulky left-hander, who is 0-1 in three home starts, is 2-4 with a 3.94 earned run average through eight career starts against Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh will try to build off an impressive win over the New York Mets. The Pirates have won two of their last three games and clobbered the Mets by a 13-1 score in Wednesday's series finale at Shea Stadium.

Xavier Nady and Nate McLouth collected three hits and three RBI to lead the Pirates. Nady was 3-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored, while McLouth finished 3-for-4 with a walk and scored three times. Freddy Sanchez also drove in two runs for the Pirates, who bounced back from a 5-4, 11-inning loss on Tuesday to win for just the second time in their last six games.

Bucs starter Tom Gorzelanny earned the win to snap a two-start skid. He yielded just one hit in five shutout innings and walked five batters with four strikeouts.

The Pirates will send Zach Duke to the mound on Thursday, and he is 0-2 with a 5.34 ERA in five starts this season.

Duke has dropped his previous two starts, including Friday's loss versus Philadelphia at PNC Park. Duke, who has allowed at least three earned runs in three straight outings, was reached for six runs and nine hits through six frames of a 6-5 defeat to the Phillies.

The young southpaw is winless (0-1) in three road starts in 2008 and owns a 1-1 record with a 6.11 ERA in three career starts against the Nationals.

Pittsburgh went 4-2 against the Nationals last season, with a 2-1 mark at RFK Stadium. The 2006 season series was tied at three games apiece.

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