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Nats set to play another doubleheader as they visit Cards

Apr 20, 2011 - 2:37 PM (Sports Network) - Mother Nature spoiled the series opener between the Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals last night at Busch Stadium, so the two ballclubs will play a doubleheader Wednesday.

The contest was delayed for almost two hours because of rain before the decision was made to postpone the contest.

Washington just played a twinbill on Sunday versus Milwaukee and had an impressive pitching streak put on hold due to inclement weather in the Gateway City. The Nationals are the only club in the majors to have had their starting pitchers go at least five innings in each outing this season. John Lannan will try to keep that trend going in the first game and is 1-1 with a 3.38 earned run average in three starts.

Lannan was saddled with the loss in last Wednesday's 3-2 setback versus Philadelphia and allowed three runs -- two earned -- on six hits in six innings. The left-hander has made five career starts against the Cardinals, going 1-2 with a 2.36 ERA.

The Nationals have won three straight and five of seven games, and swept a doubleheader from the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday in D.C. Jason Marquis held the Brewers in check by tossing seven innings of two-run ball for his first win of the season in the first game, while Danny Espinosa and Ivan Rodriguez each hit three-run homers for Washington, which got a solo home run from Ian Desmond in the 8-4 triumph.

"It was big," Rodriguez said of his first homer of the season. "But Jason threw tremendous. We played a good game. When the starters go that long, it keeps the bullpen fresh."

Jerry Hairston Jr. and Adam LaRoche both went deep for the Nationals in a 5-1 victory in the nightcap. Livan Hernandez picked up the win in that one by holding the Brewers to a run and six hits in seven frames with three strikeouts and no walks. Drew Storen went the rest of the way for his first save.

Jordan Zimmerman will take the mound in the nightcap and sports a 1-2 record with a 2.45 earned run average in three starts this season. He last pitched in Thursday's 4-0 loss to Philadelphia and allowed four runs -- one earned -- in seven innings. The righty struck out four batters for the second straight start.

Zimmerman, a right-hander, is 0-1 with a bulging 9.31 ERA in two career starts against the Cardinals. Nationals starters this season are third in the National League with a 3.30 ERA.

St. Louis had won four in a row and six of seven games until dropping a 2-1 decision Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the finale of a four-game series from Chavez Ravine.

David Freese singled home Matt Holliday with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, but Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp clubbed a two-run homer off of Cardinals closer Ryan Franklin to win the game in the bottom half.

"I threw a sinker. It was right on the corner and down," Franklin said.

Holliday went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles for St. Louis.

Jake Westbrook will make his fourth start of the season for the Cardinals tonight and is 1-1 with a 7.63 earned run average. Westbrook won for the first time this season in last Wednesday's 15-5 drubbing of Arizona in the desert, as he was reached for five runs -- two earned -- and a season-high nine hits in 5 1/3 frames.

The righty will make his third career start against Washington and is 1-1 with a 3.14 earned run average over the first two appearances.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa will hand pitching duties over to Jaime Garcia in the second game, and he's 2-0 with a 1.35 earned run average in three starts. Garcia, who tossed a four-hit shutout in his 2011 debut on April 3 versus San Diego, defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers last Thursday despite giving up three runs, two of which were earned, in five innings of a 9-5 win.

The Mexican lefty beat the Nationals in his only appearance against them on August 27 last season. Garcia held Washington scoreless over 5 1/3 frames and struck out seven batters in a 4-2 decision.

Washington and St. Louis split six matchups a year ago, while the Nationals have lost eight straight games at Busch Stadium.