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Nationals-Cubs Preview

Aug 27, 2009 - 5:26 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Washington (45-81) at Chicago (62-61), 2:20 p.m. EDT

Milton Bradley might not be happy with the way he's been treated by some disgruntled Chicago Cubs' fans, but he's going to do his best to help the team make a serious push at earning a postseason berth.

The veteran right fielder looks to stay hot while trying to help the Cubs to a second straight victory and series win over the visiting Washington Nationals on Thursday.

Bradley homered for the second straight game and drove in three runs Wednesday as Chicago (63-61) evened the set with a 9-4 win.

The big night from Bradley came after he said he's been dealing with hatred from booing fans during his disappointing first season with the Cubs, who are 7 1/2 games out of the wild-card lead and nine behind NL Central-leading St. Louis.

Bradley, who's batting .259 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs in the first season of a three-year, $30 million contract, said it's been difficult to get comfortable "when you don't get a hit and get booed every time."

"It's nothing that just started when Milton Bradley came here," said Bradley, who doesn't regret signing with the club. "I don't regret anything. I regret that there are idiots in the world, that's what I regret."

Bradley - who joins Alfonso Soriano (.240) and Geovany Soto (.218) as stars struggling at the plate for the Cubs - is 5 for 8 with two home runs and four RBIs in this series. He's batting .350 against the Nationals, who were held in check after winning 15-6 in Tuesday's series opener.

"I feel love for me. I love me," Bradley said. "I look in the mirror and I go out there and play. I feel the love from my teammates. I feel the love from the coaching staff and from myself. I go out there and try to do things. That's all I do."

Bradley and the Cubs - who scored six times in the eighth inning Wednesday - hope for another big effort while facing Washington's J.D. Martin (2-3, 4.76 ERA) for the first time.

The rookie right-hander was pushed back in order for recently-acquired Livan Hernandez to start Wednesday. Martin allowed four runs in 6 2-3 innings and took the loss as the Nationals fell 7-3 to Milwaukee last Friday.

The Nationals signed the veteran Hernandez to pile up some pitches down the stretch while they monitor the innings of their young pitchers like Martin.

"We are running out of innings with some of our young guys, and I refuse to push them past their limits," general manager Mike Rizzo told the Nationals' official Web site.

Chicago counters with rookie Randy Wells (9-6, 2.84), who allowed two runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers last Friday.

The right-hander gave up four runs in five innings but still earned the victory in a 6-5 win at Washington on July 18.

Ryan Zimmerman and Willie Harris each had two hits Wednesday for the Nationals (45-82), who have lost seven of nine. Zimmerman is 4 for 6 with two doubles in the series.