Padres 4 - 2 Nationals
Final
  for this game

Jordan tries for solid encore as Nats tangle with Padres

Apr 27, 2014 - 1:36 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Washington right-hander Taylor Jordan can pitch the Nationals to a series victory and provide an encore to a teammate's strong mound outing in the finale of a four-game series with the San Diego Padres on Sunday afternoon.

The Nationals won their second game of the series on Saturday, when Tanner Roark tossed his first career shutout in a 4-0 victory.

Roark (2-0) carried a perfect game into the sixth inning and finished his outing allowing three hits and one walk while striking out eight.

Jordan, meanwhile, has lost three consecutive starts and gave up home run balls No. 499 and 500 to Albert Pujols in his most recent appearance on Tuesday, a 7-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

He gave up six runs in five innings in that game and has allowed 25 hits in 15 1/3 innings in his last three starts, while posting an ugly 8.22 earned run average.

The second-year man allowed three home runs in 51 2/3 innings last season. This year, he's allowed three in 21 2/3 innings.

San Diego counters with righty Ian Kennedy, who's held foes to a .214 batting average while winning just once in four decisions.

In five starts, the Padres have scored just nine runs with him on the mound.

Kennedy last faced the Nationals in 2012 and has won two of his last three decisions against them while posting a 1.61 ERA in the last four matchups.

In his most recent outing, on Tuesday at Milwaukee, he gave up a run and four hits in six innings of a game the Padres ultimately won, 2-1, in 12 innings.

On Saturday, Ian Desmond came up with three hits and an RBI for the Nationals. Denard Span, Adam LaRoche and Danny Espinosa also knocked in a run each.

Andrew Cashner (2-3) was charged in defeat with nine hits and four runs despite fanning five over six full frames for the Padres, losers in five of their last seven.

The Padres lost five of seven matchups with Washington last season and are only 5-13 in the previous 18 meetings between the teams.

Washington swept a three-game set at home versus the Padres last July 5-7.






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