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Nationals-Cubs Preview

Apr 28, 2010 - 4:27 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Washington (10-10) at Chicago (10-10), 2:20 p.m. EDT

It took a little longer than two months for Washington to win its second road series in 2009. It's on the verge of doing that in less than one this season.

The Nationals look to move back over .500 on the road and take their three-game set from the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.

Ian Desmond had two hits with two RBIs and Livan Hernandez threw seven solid innings as Washington (11-10) evened the set with a 3-1 win at Chicago on Tuesday.

Washington is 4-4 away from home and has a chance to win two of its first three road series. It took two of three at New York from April 9-11.

The Nationals didn't win their fifth road game last season until May 9, when they beat Arizona to secure their first winning road series of 2009. They didn't win their next road set until taking two of three at Yankee Stadium from June 16-18.

"Last year, it seemed like what could go wrong, went wrong," slugger Adam Dunn told the Nationals' official website. "This year, it's not that way. Everything is so positive around here now. We know what we have and its showing on the field."

Ivan Rodriguez has helped ignite the Nationals improvement. The veteran catcher is batting .400 after he singled Tuesday in his return to the lineup after missing Monday's 4-3, 10-inning loss to the Cubs (10-11) with lower back tightness.

All-Star Ryan Zimmerman, however, will likely be out of the Nationals' lineup for a seventh straight game due to hamstring soreness.

Though Washington is hitting .229 in the set, it's pitching has helped put them in position to win the series. After scoring 25 runs in a three-game weekend sweep of Milwaukee, the Cubs have struggled to produce and are hitting .227 in the first two games.

Chicago hopes to get back on track while taking its first look at right-hander Luis Atilano (1-0, 1.50 ERA), who's coming off a strong major league debut for the Nationals.

A 24-year-old career minor leaguer, Atilano gave up one run and five hits in six innings of a 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.

"It's crazy. It's been my dream (to make the major leagues)," said Atilano, who had Tommy John surgery in August 2006. "After seven years, I made it, finally. I can't ask for nothing better than that."

The Cubs turn to Ryan Dempster (2-0, 2.60), who's coming off his best start of the young season.

For the second straight start, Dempster allowed one run in 7 2-3 innings, this time during an 8-1 victory at Milwaukee on Friday.

"When Dempster is throwing strikes and getting ahead of hitters, he's got the pitches to get good hitting teams out, believe me," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said.

The right-hander is 7-0 with a 3.16 ERA versus the Nationals franchise, including 6-0 with a 3.51 ERA in 12 career starts.

Chicago's Geovany Soto had two hits with an RBI on Tuesday to raise his average to .362. Derrek Lee, meanwhile, went 0 for 4 for the second straight night and is 1 for 17 over his last four contests.