MASNsports.com is your online home for the latest Orioles and Nationals news, features, and commentary. And now, you can connect with MASN on every digital level. From web and social media to our new mobile alert service, MASN has got all the bases covered.
Get the latest breaking news direct to your phone with our mobile texting service.
All things considered - those things being the St. Louis Cardinals' playoff berth last year, their four playoff trips in the last six seasons and their 8-2 record against the Nationals last year - this might be as good a time for Washington to take a trip to Busch Stadium as any.
The Cardinals have lost five of six, including a sweep against lowly Houston last week, and there's at least some concern in St. Louis, enough to necessitate a shakeup; Tony LaRussa
None of that will matter, though, if Craig Stammen can't better his results on the road. In his three starts this year away from Nationals Park, Stammen has a 12.19 ERA and an 0.57 strikeout-to-walk ratio. At home, he's got a 17-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio and a 3.38 ERA, going 1-0 in four starts.
Nationals Park plays pretty fair; it's not like it's a notorious pitcher's park like Petco Park or Safeco Field, so the results wouldn't seem to be linked to that. Whatever his troubles are on the road, Stammen will need to fix the problem soon; three of his next four outings are on the road, counting tonight.
Here are tonight's lineups:
Nationals:
Harris - RF
Guzman - SS
Zimmerman - 3B
Dunn - 1B
Willingham - LF
Rodriguez - C
Kennedy - 2B
Bernadina - CF
Stammen - SP
Cardinals:
Lopez - SS
Ludwick - RF
Holliday - LF
Pujols - 1B
Rasmus - CF
Freese - 3B
Molina - C
Schumaker - 2B
Lohse - SP
I'm back on the live thread tonight, and will have it once they get started in St. Louis at 8:15.
