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Nationals-Rays Preview

Jun 13, 2009 - 5:11 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Washington (16-42) at Tampa Bay (31-31), 6:08 p.m. EDT

The Tampa Bay Rays have not been more than one game over the .500 mark this season.

On Saturday, the defending AL champions again look to surpass that point while trying to record a fourth straight victory in the continuation of a three-game home set with the Washington Nationals.

One pitch after an error prolonged his at-bat, Gabe Kapler hit a pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a tie and give Tampa Bay (32-31) a 4-3 win over Washington on Friday.

The Rays improved to 9-4 since losing a season-high five in a row and are over .500 for the fifth time. Tampa Bay, though, is 0-4 when playing with a winning record.

"One at a time," manager Joe Maddon told the Rays' official Web site. "The moment you let your guard down, it totally bites you where you don't want it to bite you."

Kapler, mired in a 3-for-31 slump, homered after Washington first baseman Nick Johnson dropped a foul pop that would have been the third out in the inning.

"We have to make sure we don't give any extra outs," said Nationals manager Manny Acta, whose team has lost 25 of its last 31 and owns the worst record in the majors (16-43). "That really ends up biting us."

Kapler is batting .386 (17 for 44) with two homers and 10 RBIs in 15 career games against the Nationals' franchise.

Dioner Navarro had two hits and an RBI for the Rays, who have outscored the Los Angeles Angels and Nationals 24-9 during their three-game win streak.

Pat Burrell went 0 for 3 in his return for the Rays after missing 29 games with a neck strain.

Tampa Bay's Andy Sonnanstine (4-6, 7.00 ERA) looks to bounce back after giving up five runs and six hits - four homers - in seven innings of a 5-3 loss to the New York Yankees on Monday.

"I made a few mistakes up in the zone and they really made me pay for them," said Sonnanstine, who has allowed 12 home runs over his last six outings after giving up one in his first six.

The right-hander, who is 3-0 with a 4.30 ERA in four home starts, makes his first appearance against the Nationals.

Elijah Dukes hit a two-run double for Washington in his first game at Tropicana Field since the Rays traded their former prospect to the Nationals after the 2007 season. He is batting .253 with six homers and 29 RBIs this year.

Jordan Zimmermann (2-3, 5.71) is expected to take the mound for the Nationals after he was scratched from his last scheduled start Tuesday because of elbow fatigue.

"I'm not concerned," Acta told the Nationals' official Web site. "He's fine; there's no problem with him."

The rookie right-hander, who hasn't won since April 26, dropped his second straight start despite allowing two runs and three hits while striking out seven in six innings of a 5-1 loss to San Francisco on June 4.