Padres 2 - 1 Nationals
Final
  for this game

Stauffer tries to end Padres' woes in D.C.

May 28, 2011 - 2:32 PM (Sports Network) - Former first-round draft pick Tim Stauffer is next in line to end the early-season misery for San Diego today, as the Padres visit Washington for the second of three games with the Nationals at Nationals Park.

San Diego lost for the sixth time in seven games in Friday's opener when Michael Morse homered for the fourth straight game - smacking the winning solo shot in the bottom of the ninth - to lift Washington to a 2-1 win.

Morse took the first pitch of the frame from Mike Adams (2-1) over the wall in left-center field to snap the Nationals' five-game losing streak. Danny Espinosa also added his seventh home run of the season in the victory.

Drew Storen (4-1) suffered his first blown save of the year when Jason Bartlett homered to left on the first pitch of the top of the ninth, but was credited with the win.

The Padres, who won 90 games last season, are mired in last place in the National League's West Division through the first third of 2011 - trailing first-place San Francisco by 8 1/2 games and carrying the second-worst record in the league.

Stauffer won six games while making seven starts and 25 relief appearances for the team in 2010, his sixth season in the majors after he was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2003 draft.

The 28-year-old has been used exclusively as a starter this season but has yet to record a victory, instead getting seven no-decisions and three losses in 10 starts - in which the Padres are 5-5.

The University of Richmond product has losses in his last two outings, combining to allow 18 hits and seven runs in 11 1/3 innings against Arizona and Seattle on May 17 and 22.

He's split two career decisions against Washington.

The Nationals turn to recently minted 25-year-old Jordan Zimmermann, who celebrated a birthday on May 23 - a day after dropping a 2-1 decision at Baltimore in his most recent start.

The Wisconsin native began the season with a win in his second start, but has won just once in seven outings since, topping the Giants, 5-2, on May 1.

Zimmermann, who's never faced the Padres, allowed four hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings of the pre-birthday loss to the Orioles, lowering his season earned run average from 4.12 to 3.98.

The Nationals are 3-6 in the nine games he's started.

The Padres and Nationals split six meetings a season ago.






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