Nationals 2 - 1 Reds
Final
  for this game

Reds hand Latos ball vs. Nationals

May 12, 2012 - 3:12 PM (Sports Network) - Coming off a career-best strikeout game, Mat Latos hopes to put the Reds back on the winning track when they resume a three-game series against the Washington Nationals.

Latos, who was acquired in the offseason from San Diego, allowed just two hits and fanned 11 batters over six innings in a 5-0 victory at Pittsburgh on Sunday. The righty is 2-0 over his last three starts and has a career mark of 3-1 with a 2.43 ERA in five games against the Nationals.

Washington's Jordan Zimmermann hasn't received much run support in his last two starts, and that's resulted in defeats. He'll try to snap that streak tonight after losses to the Phillies and Diamondbacks.

Zimmermann is 1-0 with a 2.12 ERA in three games vs. Cincinnati. He faced the Reds on April 13 and limited them to a run over seven innings in a no- decision.

The Nationals scored seven runs in the first four innings and held on for a 7-3 win last night.

Roger Bernadina hit a two-run homer and drove in three, Danny Espinosa launched another two-run shot and Adam LaRoche added two RBI as Washington won its second in a row on the heels of a three-game losing streak.

Gio Gonzalez (4-1) went five innings, allowing two runs on five hits and four walks while fanning a season-high nine batters, including six straight at one point.

"They're a great hitting team, a great lineup," Gonzalez said of the Reds. "They're not easy to pitch around and you definitely have to find a hole. There's no hole in that lineup."

Mike Leake (0-5) was touched for six runs on seven hits over just three frames. Jay Bruce had two hits, an RBI and a run scored in the losing effort.

"I'm just not getting the job done. I'm just missing spots, not getting spots. I've just got to figure it out," said Leake.

Nationals rookie outfielder Bryce Harper could miss tonight's game after he accidentally struck himself near the left eye. Harper, who went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts last night, grounded out to second base in the seventh inning. After going back to the dugout, he swung the bat against the wall in the tunnel and it bounced off the wall and struck him near the left eye, causing blood to trickle. He needed 10 stitches to close the gash.

Cincinnati won four of the six meetings with the Nats last season.






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