Twins 4 - 3 Nationals
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Nationals, Twins set to kick off series in D.C.

Jun 8, 2013 - 12:53 PM (Sports Network) - Poor weather has prevented the Washington Nationals from playing for two straight days.

Instead of persistent rain, better conditions Saturday afternoon at Nationals Park will allow the team that has struggled recently to get back on the field.

The Nationals have dropped five of their last seven games heading into the opener of a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins.

Washington's finale of a three-game set with the New York Mets was postponed Thursday because of rain and the game will be made up July 26 in a doubleheader, which is slated to begin at 1:35 p.m. (ET).

The opener of the current series was to begin last night, but was postponed and will be made as part of a split doubleheader on Sunday. The originally scheduled contest will still be played at 1:35 p.m. ET and the makeup game will take place at 7:05 p.m.

Gio Gonzalez will take the mound for the Nationals Saturday and has been linked to an MLB investigation about performance-enhancing drugs. Gonzalez, who is among the names involved in an anti-aging clinic in Miami, is 0-1 in his last five starts and hasn't won since May 5 at Pittsburgh.

The left-hander did not receive a decision in last Saturday's 2-1 loss at Atlanta and pitched well, allowing one run and three hits in seven innings with seven strikeouts and one walk. Gonzalez is 3-3 in 12 starts to go along with a 3.64 earned run average and has made six career starts against Minnesota, going 2-3 with a less-than-stellar 7.80 ERA.

Minnesota will hand the ball to Kevin Correia. He is 5-4 with a 4.09 ERA in 11 starts. The Twins have won each of Correia's last two starts, but the right- hander did not record a decision in last Saturday's 5-4 win over Seattle as he gave up four runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.

Correia has made 13 appearances (6 starts) in his career against the Nationals and is 3-3 with a 3.33 ERA over 48 2/3 innings.

The Nationals were trounced, 10-1, in Wednesday's contest by the Mets, while the Twins are coming off back-to-back losses at Kansas City.

The Twins and Nationals are meeting for the first time since Minnesota swept a three-game series at home back in 2008. This will be the Twins' first trip to Nationals Park.






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