• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Nationals seek to get on track against Marlins

Jul 27, 2011 - 2:57 PM (Sports Network) - The Washington Nationals try to bring an end to a three- game slide tonight as they host the Florida Marlins in the second of a three- game set at Nationals Park.

To kick off the second half of the season, Washington has won a total of just three games which means the group continues to dig itself a deeper and deeper hole at the bottom of the National League East, where they are now 16 games out of contention despite being 28-19 at home thus far.

On Tuesday night the Nationals showed almost no signs of life as the recorded a total of just three hits in an 11-2 setback versus Florida. Laynce Nix accounted for one of those runs with a solo home run, his 13th of the season, while Jayson Werth continued to disappear at the plate with a pair of strikeouts.

Jordan Zimmermann was tagged with the loss as he allowed six runs on eight hits -- two home runs -- over 6 2/3 innings of work.

"It was one of those games, I guess, where I have to put it behind me and turn the page. I think I just have to pick up the tempo from the start and I'll do a lot better," Zimmermann said.

Having a much more fruitful outing was Florida starter Ricky Nolasco, who evened his season record at 7-7 as he permitted just two runs on three hits and three walks, striking out four through 5 2/3 innings.

Greg Dobbs finished up 3-for-5 with a home run and five RBI, while Logan Morrison added a two-run homer and John Buck had a solo blast for Florida, which picked up its third straight victory. Emilio Bonifacio extended his hitting streak to a major league-best 24 games as he tallied two hits and scored twice.

"It's great to see those guys break out, and even better when you get an early lead," Nolasco said of his offense. "I was just going up there and trying to let those guys put the ball in play and get us back in the dugout."

Back in the saddle for the Nationals tonight is right-hander Livan Hernandez as he seeks his first positive outcome against Florida this season. Hernandez, who broke in with the Marlins back in 1996 before heading to San Francisco a few years later, has dropped two decisions against his former club in 2011 and is now 13-12 with a 3.65 ERA in his career versus Florida.

The 16-year veteran and MVP of the 1997 World Series, Hernandez last pitched a week ago when he failed to earn a decision in a 3-2 loss to the Houston Astros. Hernandez made it through six innings in that meeting, allowing two runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out three as Washington fell for the third time in as many of his starts.

As for the Marlins they plan on countering with Javier Vazquez, who also has ties to the competition as he broke in with the Montreal Expos in 1999, the team that would later become the Nationals after crossing the border and landing in the nation's capital.

Now in his 14th major league season, the right-hander saw a personal two-game win streak snapped on Thursday when he gave up five runs in a 5-3 loss to San Diego. In that matchup Vazquez scattered eight hits and three walks, while striking out six in just 4 1/3 innings of work.

Vazquez has a career mark of just 1-2 with a 4.85 ERA against a Washington club that he is facing for the first time this season.

Werth, the huge free agent signing for the Nationals during the offseason, has been losing his value as the season wears on with a mere 11 home runs and 35 RBI, en route to a disappointing .215 batting average which is far below his career mark of .265. In the month of July Werth is hitting just .194 with one home run and 24 strikeouts.

Florida now leads the season series against the Nationals by a count of 6-4 and has dominated the relationship since the start of the 2008 campaign with a combined mark of 45-18.