Final
  for this game

Brewers' Gallardo takes mound against Nationals

Sep 23, 2012 - 1:30 PM (Sports Network) - Milwaukee right-hander Yovani Gallardo takes a career-best eight-game winning streak into the third installment of a four-game series against the Washington Nationals.

Gallardo is unbeaten in his last 10 starts and hasn't lost since July 26 against the Nationals. In that game, Gallardo gave up seven hits and seven runs in five innings of an 8-2 defeat.

Gallardo is 3-2 with a 5.06 ERA in seven games (6 starts) when facing the Nationals.

Milwaukee enters the day 2 1/2 games behind St. Louis for the second wild card spot. Meanwhile, the Nationals have a magic number of six to clinch the NL East.

Chien-Ming Wang gets the starting assignment for Washington. Wang will make his ninth appearance (fifth start) of the season. He threw 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief on Wednesday against the Dodgers.

Yesterday, Ryan Zimmerman and Ian Desmond hit three-run home runs, while Gio Gonzalez picked up his major-league leading 20th win, as the Nationals ripped the Brewers, 10-4.

Adam LaRoche homered among his three hits and drove in two for the Nationals, who recovered from a 4-2 defeat in Friday's series opener to win for the third time in five games overall.

Gonzalez (20-8) yielded two runs and three hits in seven strong innings to become the first Washington left-hander to win 20 since Earl Whitehill in 1933. He also fanned five, becoming the first Washington-based pitcher to strike out 200 batters in a season since Walter Johnson in 1916.

"It doesn't feel like a 20th win for myself. It feels like a 20th win for the team," Gonzalez admitted. "This is a childhood dream, but to do it with a team like this, that's in first place, makes it that much better."

The Nats already clinched a playoff berth.

Taylor Green hit a late two-run shot for the Brewers, whose six-game win streak came to an end.

Wily Peralta (2-1) lasted just 2 2/3 frames, allowing five hits and three runs, with four walks and as many strikeouts.

Norichika Aoki has a 12-game hitting streak for the Brewers.

Washington is 4-2 this season against Milwaukee.