Game one of three at RFK Stadium, Washington, DC features:
Rick VandeHurk (4-4. 6.59) vs Jason Bergmann (2-5, 4.56)
The Washington Nationals took two of three from the San Francisco Giants this weekend and now they start the week with a holiday matinee against the Florida Marlins. Both teams are 60-77 and battling to stay out of the NL East basement, 16.5 games out of first.
Florida's twenty-two year old right-handed starter comes to DC out of Eindhoven in the Netherlands. Henricus van den Hurk, known here as Rick VandenHurk, made his Major League debut on April 10th of this year, having never played above Double-AA before. "The Holland Hammer" has yet to face the Nationals, but VandenHurk's (3-1) on the road in six starts, despite giving up almost seven runs per start.
Washington's right-hander Jason Bergmann's out of Neptune...New Jersey! The twenty-six year old sinker-baller's faced the Marlins 10 times in his Major League career, twice as a starter, but with no decisions. Last time out against the Marlins, Bergmann surrendered 8 runs on 7 hits in 4.1 IP, in a game the Nationals eventually took 14-10.
The Nationals and Marlins have the rest of September to play the Spoiler role, for now it's all about fourth...
Does anyone watch Nationals baseball ?