NATS GAME NIGHT, GAME 38: Pirates at Nats--Starting Lineups

The Washington Nationals host the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first of a four-games series from Nationals Park at 7:05 pm. Bring a sweatshirt, it'll be cool at the park tonight.

Tonight is Ross Detwiler's first major league start. The 2007 first round (sixth overall) draft pick started six contests and logged a team-best 28 strikeouts with a 2.96 ERA this season at Harrisburg. Detwiler posted a 1.20 ERA (2 ER) and 4.5/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (18 K/4 BB) in 15.0 innings pitched during his last three starts.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES (16-21; 6th in NL Central-6.5 back; two-game win streak):

Morgan - LF
Sanchez - 2B
McLouth - CF
Monroe - RF
Adam LaRoche - 1B
Diaz - C
Andy LaRoche - 3B
Wilson - SS
Ohlendorf - P

WASHINGTON NATIONALS (11-25; 5th in NL East-10 games back; four-game loss streak):

Guzman - SS
Johnson - 1B
Zimmerman - 3B
Dunn - RF
Willingham - LF
Harris - CF
Hernandez - 2B
Bard - C
Detwiler - P

STARTING PITCHERS:

PIT: Ross Olhendorf (43.0 IP, 4-3, 3.77 ERA, 22 Ks, 9 BBs)
WAS: Ross Detwiler (2009 debut, first major league start)

WEATHER:

Clear. Calm. Chilly. First pitch: 58F. Last out: 53F. No chance of rain. WOO HOO!!!

NOTES

Nats starter Jordan Zimmermann appeared at ESPNZone today at lunchtime for a fan Q&A, moderated by Charlie Slowes, play-by-play voice of the Nationals. He took fan questions, answered some canned questions from Charlie, and fans answered trivia for free tickets.