Washington Nationals' catcher Wilson Ramos won't get a chance to extend his current hit streak to seven games tonight. Jose Lobaton's behind the plate catching Stephen Strasburg in the second game of four with the Arizona Diamondbacks in Nationals Park.
Lobaton guided Strasburg through a strong start against the New York Mets last time out in Citi Field in a seven-inning outing in which the 26-year-old right-hander gave up just three hits, two walks and one unearned run.
In his last two outings with Lobaton catching him, Strasburg has given up just six hits and the one unearned run in 14 IP in which he's walked three and K'd 18.
Lobaton hasn't started often in the second-half as Wilson Ramos has done the bulk of the work behind the plate.
In 10 games and 32 PAs since July 20th, the 29-year-old catcher is 7 for 30 with a double, two walks and six Ks, leaving him with a .209/.273/.285 line in 187 plate appearances.
The Nats' backup catcher is batting eighth tonight:
#Nats vs #Dbacks: Span CF, Rendon 3B, Werth RF, LaRoche 1B, Desmond SS, Harper LF, Cabrera 2B, Lobaton C, Strasburg P pic.twitter.com/q7LTWLuueP
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) August 19, 2014
The Nationals are going for their eighth straight win overall tonight.
The Nats are 8-2 in their last 10 and the last three wins have come via walk-off hits including last night's 11th inning walk-off home run by Adam LaRoche which lifted them to a 6-5 win over the D-Backs in the series opener in D.C.
Strasburg is (2-1) in three starts this month, with a 3.32 ERA, a 3.82 FIP, five walks and 27 Ks in 19 IP in which he's held opposing hitters to a combined .188/247/.418 line.
Jayson Werth is making his second straight start after time off with inflammation in the AC joint in his right shoulder.