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Nationals try to find offense vs. Padres

May 27, 2008 - 12:58 PM Washington (22-30) at San Diego (19-33) 10:05 pm EDT

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) - The Washington Nationals were already having trouble scoring runs with Ryan Zimmerman in the lineup. It doesn't figure to get any better without him in Petco Park.

The Nationals begin a three-game set, possibly without Zimmerman, on Tuesday when they meet the San Diego Padres.

Zimmerman, who leads Washington with eight homers and 27 RBI, missed Monday's game because of a sore left shoulder suffered during collision at second base on May 18 in Baltimore. The third baseman, who is considered day-to-day, missed Monday's 4-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

The loss was the eighth time in the Nationals' last 13 games they were held to three runs or less, which may be good news for Padres starter Randy Wolf (3-4, 4.76 ERA).

He is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA at Petco Park this season, holding the opposition to a .188 batting average in four starts here.

In Washington, Wolf will be facing a club that is batting just .233 as a team and averaging 3.6 runs.

The lefthander was stellar in his last turn, an 8-2 home win on Thursday night over Cincinnati as he allowed two runs and four hits over seven innings, matching a season high with nine strikeouts in the triumph.

His opposition will be Shawn Hill (0-1, 4.08), who figures to be approaching this start at less than full strength after missing his scheduled start Wednesday. The righthander, who has been dealing with a nerve problem in the forearm, surrendered five runs - four earned - and eight hits in a 5-3 setback vs. Baltimore on May 16.