Nationals Enjoy the Road
The Washington Nationals may not be far from home, but they are sure enjoying the road.
The Nationals look for another strong showing when they continue a three-game interleague series with the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday at Camden Yards.
Washington (27-37) began the season 5-16 on the road, but has since won eight of 10 games away from home while averaging 6.3 runs and batting .307.
Oddsmakers have made Baltimore -155 money line favorites (MLB Odds) for todays game, the over/under has been set at 9 total runs (Matchup). Our public betting information shows that 70% of bets for this game have been placed on Baltimore -155 (View MLB Bet Percentages).
The Nationals improved to 3-1 on their current nine-game trip with a 7-4 victory over the Orioles (29-35) in Tuesday’s series opener.
Chad Cordero needed only seven pitches to earn his 100th career save. The 25-year-old closer is the second-youngest player in baseball history to reach the milestone, trailing only Francisco Rodriguez of the Los Angeles Angels.
Ryan Church hit a solo homer while Ryan Zimmerman and Brian Schneider each had a two-run shot for Washington, which still ranks last in the majors with 40 home runs. Zimmerman is 5-for-10 with four doubles during his career against Steve Trachsel (5-4, 3.82 ERA), who will take the mound for Baltimore on Wednesday.
The right-hander has won four of his last five decisions, including a 4-2 victory over Colorado on Friday when he allowed two runs over six innings.
Trachsel improved to 3-0 with a 2.08 ERA in five home starts. The veteran has also won his last five interleague outings, including two this season.
One of those starts was a 5-4 victory over Washington on May 18, when he gave up two runs and four hits over 5 2-3 innings. Trachsel is 11-6 with a 3.40 ERA in 28 career starts versus the Nationals franchise – tied for his most wins against any opponent.
The Orioles, though, have lost three straight games and eight of their last 10 to fall into last place in the AL East, one game behind Tampa Bay and 12 1/2 games back of the major league-leading Boston Red Sox.
Baltimore manager Sam Perlozzo plans to continue switching up a lineup which is batting only .232 in June.
"What’s frustrating is when you write out a lineup and you’re not sure if this is the answer because there’s so many guys that aren’t hitting," Perlozzo told the Orioles’ official Web site. "That’s the part that makes it hard for me, because I sit there and say, ‘I’m hoping that this works out this way.’ And at the end of the game, you find out that the only time it really works is when they hit. There’s no magical answer to that."
The Orioles look for a better effort against Washington starter Matt Chico (3-4, 4.86), who has not recorded a decision in his last four outings. The rookie left-hander held Pittsburgh to two runs and four hits over seven innings of Thursday’s 3-2 defeat.
"I don’t really care about my decisions or my record," Chico told the Nationals’ official Web site. "I feel more confident in my abilities and in my pitches, and I’m just working on getting my first-pitch strikes."
Chico, who has never faced Baltimore, is 0-4 with a 5.46 ERA in six road starts.
by: Michael Cash – thespread.com – Email Us
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