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Padres expected to debut Rizzo in opener with Nationals

Jun 9, 2011 - 3:10 PM (Sports Network) - Seven games under .500 and last in the National League West, the San Diego Padres are ready to make a roster shakeup.

The Padres are expected to debut prospect Anthony Rizzo this evening in the opener of a four-game series with the Washington Nationals at Petco Park.

The 21-year-old was one of four players the Padres acquired when they dealt Adrian Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox in December. Rizzo hit .365 with 16 homers and 63 RBI with Triple-A Tucson this year and is expected to start at first base tonight.

"We're not bringing this guy up to platoon," San Diego general manager Jed Hoyer told his club's official website.

Rizzo will look to help get the Padres back in the win column after they lost a rubber match of a three-game series with the Rockies, 5-3, on Wednesday. Closer Heath Bell suffered the loss, giving up a two-run double to Troy Tulowitzki in the ninth inning.

Alberto Gonzalez drove in two runs for the Padres, who had won three straight prior to the series and fell to 4-3 on an 11-game homestand. Starter Dustin Moseley allowed three runs over five innings, but left the game with a shoulder injury after popping out at the plate.

"Overall, I made some good pitches, they hit some balls where guys weren't," surmised Moseley.

Aaron Harang will try to pick up his first career victory against the Nationals tonight as he is 0-2 with a 4.05 earned run average in six career starts against them.

Harang, who is pitching to a 1.63 ERA over his last four starts, snapped a string of four straight no-decisions by beating the Astros on Saturday. The 31-year-old righty allowed two runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings, improving to 6-2 with a 3.77 ERA in 12 starts this year.

His counterpart, Livan Hernandez, will also be looking for some firsts when he toes the rubber for the Nationals.

The 36-year-old is 0-5 with a 5.10 ERA in seven road starts this year and may struggle picking up that first win at Petco Park, where he is 0-5 with a 5.44 ERA in eight career starts.

Hernandez hasn't won since April 28, going 0-5 with a 4.23 ERA in seven starts. The right-hander pitched well enough to win on Saturday in Arizona, but suffered a 2-0 defeat after giving up both runs on four hits and four walks over seven innings of work. He fell to 3-7 with a 3.76 ERA in 13 starts this season.

Washington is coming off a series loss to the Giants, falling to 3-4 on an 11- game road trip with a 3-1 setback on Wednesday. Sean Burnett yielded two runs in the seven inning to suffer the loss in relief, the Nationals' fourth setback in six games.

"The team was playing their butts off against a good pitcher. They were battling and I come in the game and give it away," said Burnett. "I have to apologize to my team because I feel like I cost them ballgames every time I go out there."

Rick Ankiel doubled home a run in the seventh inning for the Nats, who saw outfielder Jayson Werth held out of the starting lineup for a second straight game due to a knee injury suffered on Sunday.

Washington hopes that both Werth and Jerry Hairston Jr. can return to action tonight. Hairston served a one-game suspension Wednesday for his actions in a game on May 27 versus the Padres, opting to serve the ban because he was suffering from lower back spasms.

The Padres took two of three from the Nationals at Washington in late May and have won nine of their last 11 at home in this series.