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Lincecum eyes milestone in opener with Nats

Jun 6, 2011 - 2:28 PM (Sports Network) - Giants ace Tim Lincecum is on the verge of joining some very elite company, but a victory over the Nationals may be the more pressing concern for the youngster.

Five strikeouts away from 1,000 in his career, San Francisco's Lincecum will try to pick up a rare victory over Washington in the opener of a three-game series tonight at AT&T Park.

Already a two-time National League Cy Young Award winner and World Series champion, the 26-year-old Lincecum is set to become just the eighth pitcher since 1900 to total 1,000 strikeouts in his first five major league seasons. Others who have done so include: Tom Seaver, Bert Blyleven, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Dwight Gooden, Kerry Wood, Hideo Nomo and Mark Langston.

"It's an honor," Lincecum told the Giants' website of his imminent feat. "Hopefully it doesn't stop here."

While getting the strikeouts likely won't be an issue for Lincecum, beating the Nationals might. He is just 1-2 with a 3.66 earned run average in five career starts against them, striking out 32 over 32 innings. He lost to them in Washington back on April 29, allowing three runs on seven hits over seven innings of a 3-0 setback while fanning seven.

The 26-year-old had a two-start winning streak end on Wednesday in St. Louis, yielding five runs on a career-high 10 hits over 6 1/3 innings. He also struck out nine in a no-decision while allowing the first pinch-hit homer of his career.

The three-time All-Star will also be looking to keep the Giants in first place in the National League West, a position they retook from the Diamondbacks with Sunday's 2-1 victory over the Rockies. San Francisco leapt over Arizona by a half-game after the D-Backs were bested by the Nationals.

Andres Torres scored on Freddy Sanchez's RBI single in the sixth inning and then drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth frame on Sunday to help the Giants to their fifth victory in seven games even though the club was no-hit through the first 5 2/3 innings.

Ryan Vogelsong, though, held his own on the mound, pitching eight innings of one-run ball before Brian Wilson earned his 17th save with a perfect ninth inning.

"To be counted on to go out there and win games, it's a great feeling," Vogelsong said.

The Nationals helped out the Giants and showed a little bite on the process on Sunday, rebounding for a 9-4 victory over the Diamondbacks in 11 innings. After blowing a three-run lead in the bottom of the ninth, Rick Ankiel drew a bases-loaded walk in the 11th frame before Michael Morse connected on a grand slam.

Wilson Ramos earlier hit a three-run homer for the Nationals, who opened an 11-game road trip by splitting the four-game set with Arizona and won for the fourth time in six games overall. Washington also battled for a victory on Sunday without starter Jason Marquis, who was ejected, along with manager Jim Riggleman, in the sixth inning for hitting Justin Upton in the back.

"I felt like I was throwing the ball real well. Unfortunately, there was a warning issued early in the game and the umpire made a call," Marquis said.

John Lannan will try to win consecutive starts for the first time this season when he goes for the Nats tonight. The left-hander snapped a seven-start winless skid (0-4) by besting the Phillies on Wednesday.

After nearly finding the win column on May 27 with 7 2/3 shutout innings versus the Padres, Lannan won for the first time since April 20 by holding the Phillies to just one unearned run on four hits and three walks over 5 1/3 frames. He improved to 3-5 on the season with a 4.05 ERA in 12 starts.

The 26-year-old is 0-1 with a 1.98 ERA in two career starts versus the Giants, with that loss coming on April 30 despite 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball.

Washington, though, still took three of four in that home set from April 29- May 2.