Game three of three in RFK Stadium, Washington, DC features:
Barry Zito (9-11, 4.59) vs Matt Chico (5-7, 4.96)
Matt Chico is back in the starting rotation and on the hill this afternoon in Washington, DC as Chico's Nationals take on Barry Zito and the visiting San Francisco Giants in the rubber match of the three game weekend series.
Chico returned to the Nationals when rosters expanded yesterday along with reliever Winston Abreu. Chico's (5-2) in RFK this season, though he's bucked tradition and actually given up more HR's at home than on the road. Chico walked 11 batters in his last two starts before being sent down to Triple-AAA Columbus to work on his location, and the smooth lefty returns to the hill to face the Giants for the first time in his career.
Giants lefty Barry Zito brings his World Famous Curve to the Nation's capital, but having played the majority of his career in the American League, Zito's only faced the Washington Nationals twice, including an 8-6 loss earlier this August in which Zito was knocked around for 6 hits and 4 runs in 5.0 innings, during which he walked three and surrendered 3 home runs.
Nationals catcher Brian Schneider has a home run in his only at bat against Zito, and Schneider should be behind the plate after backup catcher Jesus Flores started Saturday. Ronnie Belliard's 10 for 28, for a .357 AVG in his career against Zito with 1 HR and 6 RBI's. Austin Kearns has a six-game hitting streak going, and with last night's win, the Nationals now look to start a winning streak having broken the seven game slide...
Sunday afternoon baseball, anyone watching?...