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Hendrickson, Dodgers look for sweep vs. Nationals

May 31, 2007 - 2:38 PM LA Dodgers (31-21) at Washington (21-32) 7:05 pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Mark Hendrickson and the Los Angeles Dodgers can remain perfect, in first place and unlikely scored upon with another victory.

Hendrickson looks to win his first game in five starts when the Dodgers go for a three-game sweep against the Washington Nationals on Thursday.

Los Angeles is a perfect 2-0 on its 10-game road trek and remain one-half game in front of the Arizona Diamondbacks for first place in the National League West.

The Dodgers beat the Nationals, 10-0, on Tuesday before posting a 5-0 decision on Wednesday to record consecutive shutouts for the first time since May 29-30, 2004.

Hendrickson (2-2, 3.62 ERA) can give Los Angeles its third three-game sweep of the season with another win. The 6-9, 240-pound lefthander has lost two straight decisions, including a 4-2 setback to the Chicago Cubs last Saturday. He hasn't won since beating the Arizona Diamondbacks, 2-1, on May 2.

The Nationals will counter with Micah Bowie (1-2, 3.91), who will face the Dodgers for the third time in his career. The lefthander allowed two runs and four hits in five innings to help beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-4, last Friday.

It was his first win as a starter since September 23, 1999, when he was with the Cubs. It also was his first overall victory since 2002, when he was a member of the Oakland Athletics.

The Nationals, who have just nine hits in their last two games, have been blanked six times in 2007. The Dodgers have posted four shutouts in 2007.

The last time Los Angeles accrued three straight shutouts was July 25-27, 1991 when it beat Philadelphia 5-0, then defeated the Montreal Expos, 1-0, in 10 innings and 7-0.