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Detwiler heads to hill for Nats in Houston

Aug 7, 2012 - 2:56 PM (Sports Network) - Southpaw Ross Detwiler can stay unbeaten in his career against the Houston Astros tonight when the Washington Nationals return to Minute Maid Park for the second game of a four-game series.

The Nationals won Monday's opener when Roger Bernadina scored the winner in the 11th in a 5-4 victory.

Washington had blown the lead in the ninth, but went ahead in the 11th thanks to a pair of errors. Bernadina led off with a single and Kurt Suzuki followed with a bunt. Wilton Lopez (3-1) and first baseman Steve Pearce collided as both went for the ball.

Pearce then gathered the ball and his rushed throw to first sailed wide. Bernadina was waived home and easily scored when Brian Bogusevic's throw went well wide and high.

"An ugly win is better than a good loss," Nationals starter Edwin Jackson said.

Craig Stammen (5-1) set the Astros down in order in the 10th and worked around a two-out walk in the 11th to earn the win.

Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-run single, Michael Morse added two hits and an RBI and Adam LaRoche drove in the other run for the Nationals, who have won three straight and five of six.

Marwin Gonzalez hit a solo homer while Jose Altuve, Brett Wallace and Pearce each drove in a run for the Astros, who have lost six of their last seven.

Jackson gave up two runs on two hits with a pair of walks and eight strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. Houston starter Dallas Keuchel was charged with four runs - three earned - on 12 hits with a walk and two strikeouts over six frames.

Detwiler, a veteran of 61 big-league appearances since the Nationals chose him sixth overall in 2007, defeated the Astros in his lone meeting on Sept. 23, 2010, after allowing two runs on seven hits in six innings of a 7-2 win.

He was a 3-0 winner over Philadelphia in his most recent 2012 start on Aug. 2 after giving up three hits in seven scoreless innings with two walks and three strikeouts.

He's mixed six relief outings with 16 starts so far this season and has allowed zero earned runs in six of his last 10 appearances - while allowing a single earned run in one other outing.

In 10 road appearances, he's 1-3 with a hold and a 3.74 earned run average over 43 1/3 innings.

The Astros send second-year righty Jordan Lyles to the mound for another attempt at a first win since late June.

The 21-year-old was 2-4 for the season after defeating San Diego on June 26, but is 0-4 in six outings since while watching his ERA expand more than a run from 4.59 to 5.95.

He was shelled for nine hits and seven runs in five innings of a 13-4 loss at Milwaukee on Aug. 1 - his most recent start.

Lyles is 0-1 in two career meetings with Washington.

The Nationals won three of four games from the Astros when the teams last met in Washington in April.

They've split season series for three straight years since Houston won, four games to two, in 2008.