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Dodgers-Nationals Preview

Apr 23, 2010 - 4:41 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (7-7) at Washington (8-7), 7:05 p.m. EDT

Manny Ramirez is obviously a big reason why the Los Angeles Dodgers have the most productive lineup in the majors.

Ryan Zimmerman has been equally important for the improved Washington Nationals in 2010.

Both teams, however, will be without their All-Stars when they open a weekend series Friday night at Nationals Park.

Los Angeles manager Joe Torre said Ramirez will be out at least two days and possibly for the entire weekend series after the slugger strained his right calf running out a single during Thursday's 8-5 loss at Cincinnati.

Ramirez, batting .415 with two homers and 12 RBIs this season, missed two games last week because of tightness in the same calf.

"It wouldn't surprise me (if Ramirez missed the series)," Torre told the Dodgers' official website. "He tweaked it more than the last time."

Though the two-time defending NL West champion Dodgers (7-8) lead the majors in runs (98) and batting average (.311), they've yet to spend a day above .500 in 2010.

Losing Ramirez for any extended period could be tough even with Andre Ethier (.388), Rafael Furcal (.344), Matt Kemp (.333) and Russell Martin (.333) all hitting well.

Ethier hit his fifth homer and second in two nights Thursday, while Kemp singled to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, but Los Angeles dropped two of three to the Reds despite outscoring them 28-25 in the set.

After leading the majors with a 3.41 staff ERA in 2009, the Dodgers have an ERA of 5.52 this season.

Los Angeles knuckleballer Charlie Haeger (0-1, 7.20 ERA) will make his third start Friday.

The right-hander, who's never faced the Nationals (8-8), looks to bounce back after giving up seven runs and walking five in three innings of a 9-0 loss to San Francisco on Saturday.

Zimmerman won't have the chance to face Haeger, as the Washington third baseman will sit out his second consecutive game with a right hamstring injury.

Hitting .341 with two home runs and 10 RBIs, Zimmerman missed five games earlier this season with a strained left hamstring. He hopes to return sometime this weekend.

"Hopefully it'll just be a day or two, and after that, it'll be a non-factor," Zimmerman said. "It still feels something like a cramp."

Coming off a four-game home split with Colorado, the Nationals still have Ivan Rodriguez in the lineup. The veteran catcher had two hits in a 2-0 loss to the Rockies on Thursday, and is 22 for 49 on the season.

Rodriguez is 16 for 32 in his last nine games against the Dodgers.

Luis Atilano will take the mound for his major league debut Friday for the Nationals.

One of the organization's top minor-league pitchers, Atilano replaces the injured Jason Marquis in the starting rotation. The right-hander went a combined 9-8 with a 4.01 ERA between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse in 2009.

"Atilano is the hottest guy up there and he really threw well in Spring Training," general manager Mike Rizzo told the Nationals' official website. "We are comfortable with it and that is our short-term solution. We'll see what happens in the long term."