What to Watch for: 6/25
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Washington Nationals (41-29) vs. Colorado Rockies (27-44)
RHP Stephen Strasburg (9-1, 2.46) vs. LHP Jeff Francis (0-1, 8.56)
The Nationals travel to Colorado to face the Rockies for the first time this season beginning Monday night. The series marks Washington’s return to National League play after five consecutive Interleague Series. Stephen Strasburg will have an opportunity to collect his 10th win, and retake the Major League lead in strikeouts.
NATIONALS LINEUP
1. Espinosa 2B
2. Harper CF
3. Zimmerman 3B
4. Morse RF
5. LaRoche 1B
6. Desmond SS
7. Moore LF
8. Flores C
9. Strasburg RHP
STRASBURG LOOKS TO CONTINUE STREAK
Tonight at Coors Field, Stephen Strasburg will try to become the first National (2005-present) to earn a win in seven consecutive starts. Strasburg has never faced the Colorado Rockies, but is 1-1 with a 2.33 ERA in five career starts against the NL West. In his last career start, his first against the Tampa Bay Rays, he earned the win in the Nationals hard-fought, 3-2 victory on Wednesday night at Nationals Park. He fanned 10 in seven strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks.
BIG EAST
The Nationals finished a string of 32 consecutive contests against clubs from the AL East (18 total, 10-8) and NL East (14 total, 8-6) on Sunday. On May 18, Washington began the daunting 32-game stretch in second place, 0.5-game behind ATL in the NL East standings. The Nationals enter tonight’s lid-lifter in Denver atop the NL East with a 3.5-game lead over the second-place New York Mets.
SMOOTH ROAD
The Nationals are a 31-16 on the road dating to last September 12th. The .660 winning percentage is MLB’s best road mark in that span, just ahead of Texas (30-17, .638) and Baltimore (25-19, .568).
