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Nationals-Yankees Preview

Jun 16, 2009 - 12:58 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Washington (16-45) at New York (36-27), 7:05 p.m. EDT

After a pair of draining series, the New York Yankees can expect less emotion in their next one.

The Yankees look to take advantage of the worst team in baseball Tuesday night when they begin a three-game home set against the Washington Nationals.

Last week, New York (36-27) was swept in a three-game series at AL East-leading Boston before returning home to win two of three against the Mets.

"Now that this is over, we have a good taste in our mouth, no doubt about that," New York's Nick Swisher told the Yankees official Web site. "And we'll get ourselves ready for Washington."

The Yankees will be looking to avoid a letdown when they take on the Nationals (16-45), who are on pace for 119 losses. Washington is also enduring rumors that manager Manny Acta's job may be in jeopardy.

New York hit seven home runs over the weekend to bring its major league-leading total to 102 - 64 at the new Yankee Stadium. Robinson Cano and Hideki Matsui each went deep in a 15-0 win over the Mets on Sunday.

Derek Jeter went 4 for 4 and is 13 for 26 with three homers and six RBIs in six interleague games this season. Jeter has hit seven of his nine homers at the Yankees' hitter-friendly ballpark.

New York will start CC Sabathia (5-4, 3.68 ERA) after he suffered a tough 4-3 loss to Boston on Thursday. Sabathia took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the eighth, but allowed all three hitters he faced in that inning to reach base and was eventually charged with the loss.

"It definitely stings a lot," Sabathia said. "We lost a ball game we probably should have won. But the bottom line is we have a lot of games left."

The left-hander is 12-6 with a 3.73 ERA in 31 interleague starts, going 3-0 with a 2.68 ERA in his last five.

Sabathia has pitched against the Nationals' franchise twice in his career. He threw a five-hitter and struck out nine for the Milwaukee in a 5-0 win over Washington on Aug. 8.

Tuesday's game will bring back some good memories for Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson, who played for the Yankees from 2001-03 and has not been back since. Aside from seeing some old teammates, Johnson is looking forward to playing in the new stadium.

"I've watched some games on TV," Johnson told the Nationals' official Web site. "It looks pretty nice. We'll see how the ball flies."

Johnson went 2 for 4 with three runs scored against the Yankees as the Nationals took two of three in Washington from June 16-18, 2006. That is the last series between these clubs - the Nationals' franchise last visited the Bronx in 2001.

Washington rookie Shairon Martis (5-1, 5.04) is looking for his first win since May 13 after a 5-0 start to his season. Martis, who has never faced the Yankees, is 0-1 with a 6.43 ERA in his last five outings.

The 22-year-old right-hander has pitched better over his last two starts, going 0-0 with a 2.25 ERA. He gave up two runs and three hits over seven innings Wednesday in a 4-2, 12-inning loss to Cincinnati.