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Nats commence series with Padres in DC

May 27, 2011 - 3:13 PM (Sports Network) - One team mired in a five-game losing skid faces another barely beyond such a slide tonight when the Washington Nationals host the San Diego Padres in the opener of a three-game weekend series at Nationals Park.

The hosts dropped their season-high fifth straight game on Wednesday in Milwaukee, when Prince Fielder drove in four runs to support a solid outing from Zack Greinke, as the Brewers beat the Nationals, 6-4, in the finale of a three-game set at Miller Park.

Jason Marquis (5-2) absorbed the loss after allowing four runs, five hits and four walks in six frames for Washington.

The losing run has dropped the Nationals to last place in the National League East Division, 9 1/2 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies.

Washington starter John Lannan has dropped four straight decisions in six starts since his last victory, which came April 20 at St. Louis, and will take the mound tonight in DC.

The Nationals are 2-4 in the New York native's last six outings and 5-5 in his 10 overall starts.

Lannan tossed six innings and allowed nine hits and six runs in an 8-3 interleague loss at Baltimore on May 21, the fifth time he's lasted at least six innings in a 2011 start. He has faced the Padres five times in his career, winning once while surrendering 27 hits and 10 earned runs in 33 innings.

San Diego had dropped five straight games before halting the drought on Wednesday, when a stellar outing from Mat Latos and a two-run eighth inning allowed the Padres to avoid a sweep with a 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the finale of a three-game set from Petco Park.

Latos (2-6), who had dropped his last six home decisions, allowed just one run and six hits, while striking out seven over eight innings.

Chase Headley and Ryan Ludwick supplied two-out RBI hits in the eighth to break a 1-1 tie.

Heath Bell retired Skip Schumaker, Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman in order to earn his 10th save of the season.

The Padres are 20-30 overall and last in the NL West, trailing first-place San Francisco by 7 1/2 games.

Lefty Clayton Richard had lost four straight starts before a May 16 defeat of Arizona in which he allowed five hits and three runs in 5 2/3 innings.

One start since dropped the former eighth-round pick (2005) to 2-5 on the season, a 4-0 loss to Seattle in which he gave up seven hits and three runs in five innings.

A 14-game winner in 33 starts with the Padres in 2010, Richard opened this year with an 11-3 defeat of St. Louis, then got three straight no-decisions before the four-game tailspin began April 22 against the Phillies.

He is 1-1 with a 4.58 ERA in 19 2/3 innings over three career starts against the Nationals.

The Padres and Nationals split six meetings a season ago.