Pitching Probables:
LHP Gio Gonzalez (WSH) 3-3, 3.90 ERA
RHP Tim Hudson (ATL) 4-4, 5.37 ERA
Tonight's Starting Lineups (7:15 pm ET, FOX):
Nationals (career vs. Hudson):
Denard Span - CF (2-10, 2 K)
Steve Lombardozzi - LF (2-8, 2 2B, 2 K)
Ryan Zimmerman - 3B (15-58, 4 2B, HR, 8 RBI, 3 BB, 9 K)
Adam LaRoche - 1B (6-27, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K)
Ian Desmond - SS (13-44, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 4 BB, 5 K)
Roger Bernadina - RF (4-22, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 9 K)
Danny Espinosa - 2B (5-24, 2B, HR, RBI, 2 BB, 9 K)
Kurt Suzuki - C (0-6)
Gio Gonzalez - P (0-2, 2 BB, K)
Braves (career vs. Gonzalez):
Andrelton Simmons - SS (4-9, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB)
Jason Heyward - RF (4-15, 2 RBI, K)
Justin Upton - LF (1-5, HR, RBI, 4 BB, K)
Freddie Freeman - 1B (3-11, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 4 K)
Evan Gattis - C (3-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI, BB)
Chris Johnson - 3B (4-9, 3 RBI, 4 K)
Dan Uggla - 2B (1-10, 2B, RBI, 7 BB, 5 K)
BJ Upton - CF (2-14, 2B, BB, 4 K)
Tim Hudson - P (1-3, 2B, BB, 2 K)
Preview:
Tonight's starting pitchers are both winless in their past four starts and will try to regain their footing Saturday night in Atlanta, when Nats southpaw Gio Gonzalez faces off against Braves right-hander Tim Hudson.
Following Stephen Strasburg's early exit on Friday because of a strained right oblique, Gonzalez getting back on track is even more important for the Nationals, who enters into play tonight a game over .500 and 4.5 games behind the Braves.
Before his outing against the Orioles, Gonzalez went four consecutive starts allowing two runs or fewer and pitching at least six innings, but against the Orioles, Gonzalez allowed four runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings pitched en route to his third loss of the season.
Veteran RHP Tim Hudson struggled in May, posting an ERA of 7.33 after ending April with a 3.86 ERA. In his last start against the Blue Jays, Hudson surrendered six runs on eight hits in six innings as he lost his fourth game of the season. A gem from Hudson tonight is imperative for not only his confidence, but to keep the Nationals from closing the gap on the Braves in the division.
BJ Upton returns to the lineup:
Struggling at the plate, BJ Upton has seen his playing time decrease significantly over the past week and Greg Walker has been working with him to help him get his timing down. Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez stated that he will need to get Upton back in the lineup on a consistent basis soon.
Upton has been out of the starting lineup in five of the past seven games, including Friday night. He entered the game in the 8th inning to pinch run for Evan Gattis and struck out in his only plate appearance in the 9th inning.
Bryce Harper to DL:
After missing the entire four-game series against the Orioles with continued soreness in his left knee, Bryce Harper was not in the lineup in Friday night's game against the Braves and was put on the 15-day disabled list Saturday. The DL stint is retroactive to May 27th.
Harper hurt the knee while running into the right field wall at Dodger Stadium on May 13th and aggravated the injury on the 26th against the Phillies.
Side note:
Brian McCann is just three hits shy of 1,000 for his career.
Nationals have been shutout seven times already this season. They were held scoreless eight times in 2012.
Tim Hudson has owned Washington in his career, going 16-5 with a 2.55 ERA in 28 career starts.
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