Brewers 4 - 0 Nationals
Final
  for this game

Brewers aim to snap skid against Nationals

Jul 2, 2013 - 2:45 PM (Sports Network) - Dominican right-hander Wily Peralta will try to keep the Milwaukee Brewers from establishing their longest losing streak of the season on Tuesday when they visit Nationals Park for the second of four straight meetings with the Washington Nationals.

The Brewers' skid equaled the existing season high on Monday, six games, when Bryce Harper homered in his return, Jordan Zimmermann went six innings to earn his 12th win and the Nationals upended the Brewers, 10-5.

Harper had missed 31 games due to left knee bursitis but showed little discomfort in belting a solo shot off Yovani Gallardo in the first inning.

Washington knocked Gallardo (6-8) out during the fourth having pelted him for eight runs on nine hits to build a healthy lead it never relinquished.

"It's frustrating. There is a lot of talent in this room. It just seems like we haven't been able to catch a break. It seems like everything just fell down at once," Gallardo said.

Jayson Werth went 2-for-5 with five RBI to highlight a 13-hit effort behind Zimmermann (12-3), who remained unbeaten in 10 starts at Nationals Park this season following a so-so outing that saw him surrender four runs on nine hits.

"We have a good ball club. They're putting up a lot of runs this year. As long as I can go deep in ball games and hold them to as little runs as possible we will be in good shape," said Zimmermann.

Rickie Weeks and Juan Francisco both homered for Milwaukee.

Peralta, who turned 24 in May, dropped a decision to the Nationals last season in his lone career meeting with them, allowing three runs on five hits in just 2 2/3 innings.

He tossed seven innings of scoreless two-hit ball in defeating Atlanta on June 21, but dropped a subsequent start against the Chicago Cubs on June 27 after allowing seven runs in five innings.

Peralta is 2-3 in seven road starts this season, with the last away win coming June 1 at Philadelphia, where he was touched for two runs on four hits in seven innings of a 4-3 win.

The Brewers have won just two of his last 10 starts.

He's opposed by Washington's Stephen Strasburg, who will aim for an eighth consecutive start with two or fewer runs allowed.

The former No. 1 overall draft choice has allowed just nine runs in his last seven starts, during which he's won three of four decisions and lowered his earned run average from 3.10 to 2.41.

He gave up four runs on May 11 against the Cubs, but all were unearned. The last time he surrendered more than two earned runs was May 4 at Pittsburgh.

Strasburg has never faced the Brewers.

The Nationals won five of eight games with the Brewers in 2012, after the teams split six games in 2011.






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