Nationals 1 - 3 Giants
Final
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Nats eye back-to-back road wins in San Francisco

Jun 8, 2011 - 2:40 PM (Sports Network) - The Washington Nationals will try to string together back- to-back road wins for the first time in a month when the team concludes a three-game series with the defending world champion San Francisco Giants this afternoon at AT&T Park.

Washington has been among the worst clubs in the majors away from home this season, having produced a troubling 13-22 record as the visitor thus far. Since earning consecutive victories at Atlanta's Turner Field from May 10-11, the Nats have dropped 11 of 15 contests on the road.

The Nationals have fared pretty well so far on a current 11-game, three-city West Coast trip, however. Washington is 3-3 to date on the trek, which began in Arizona last week, and has split the first two tilts of this set after claiming a 2-1 win over the Giants last night.

Jordan Zimmermann was the x-factor for the Nationals on Thursday, as the young hurler held San Francisco to one run and five hits over the first seven innings and helped his cause with an RBI sacrifice bunt in the top of the fourth.

"He has really stepped up," Nationals bench coach John McLaren said of Zimmermann. "I mean, his stuff is as good as anybody in the league. I hear scouts say, 'Oh my God, we'd like to get him,' and I say, 'Yeah, good luck."

McLaren was acting as Washington's manager for last night's matchup with regular skipper Jim Riggleman serving a one-game suspension as a result of incidents of throwing at hitters between the Nationals and Diamondbacks on Sunday. Washington pitcher Jason Marquis received a five-game ban for his actions, but is presently appealing the ban.

Riggleman will be eligible to coach in this afternoon's series finale.

The National League West-leading Giants, who mustered only five hits on the night, had a two-game win streak halted and lost for only the second time in their last seven tests.

San Francisco will try to rebound today behind Matt Cain, with the reliable right-hander aiming to duplicate one of his best performances of the season.

Cain tossed seven outstanding innings against fellow NL West member Colorado last Friday at AT&T Park, limiting the Rockies to just one run and four hits while striking out seven to lead the Giants to a 3-1 victory. The effort halted a personal two-start losing streak in which Cain was tagged for a total of nine runs and 17 hits over a combined 12 innings of work.

The 2009 All-Star will also be attempting to avenge a tough loss to the Nationals in Washington on May 1, when Cain was reached for three runs (two earned) in six innings of a 5-2 San Francisco setback.

In 10 career starts against the Nationals, Cain is 4-4 with a 3.38 earned run average.

Riggleman will hand the ball in the finale to rotation replacement Yunesky Maya, who takes another stab at an elusive first win in the majors.

Maya is coming off a dull 4 1/3-inning stint at Arizona on Friday, with the Cuban defector surrendering four runs and six hits while issuing three walks and registering a loss. The verdict leaves him with an 0-4 record and a poor 6.43 ERA over seven career big league starts, five of which came near the end of last season.

The 29-year-old right-hander has made two starts since being called up from Triple A to fill in for the injured Tom Gorzelanny, having allowed four runs in a 4 2/3-inning no-decision against San Diego on May 29. This will be Maya's first-ever encounter with the Giants.

Washington has won four of six games against San Francisco this season, but is just 3-8 at AT&T Park since 2008.






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