:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/6509785/142943873.jpg)
It's the usual suspects in the Washington Nationals' lineup for the first game of the second half of the 2012 schedule. Nats' right-hander Jordan Zimmermann is making his second straight start after pitching the last game of the "first half" against Colorado before the All-Star Break. Zimmermann gave up just one run on three hits in 7.0 IP in that outing, but the Nationals lost 4-3 when the bullpen blew one and the 26-year-old starter received no decision. Now the '07 2nd Round pick is back on the mound to start game 84 of 162 against a team he's yet to beat in six career starts. Not only that, but he's starting against a pitcher, in the Marlins' Josh Johnson, that the Nationals have been unable to beat yet after sixteen starts for the right-hander against Miami's divisional rivals from D.C. The Nats are 2-3 against the Marlins so far this season, having taken two games of a three-game series in the nation's capital before the finale was postponed and having dropped all three games during a visit to Marlins Park (May 28-30) in which they were swept by the Fish.
Here's the lineup Nats' skipper Davey Johnson's sending out behind Zimmermann tonight:
Nats vs. Johnson: Lombardozzi 7, Harper 8, Zimmerman, Morse 9, LaRoche, Desmond, Espinosa, Flores, Zimmermann
— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) July 13, 2012
MLB.com's Marlins' beat writer Joe Frisaro (@JoeFrisaro) tweeted the Marlins' lineup Zimmermann will be facing:
#Marlins lineup Reyes, Infante, Lee, Morrison, Ramirez, Ruggiano, Bonifacio, Buck, Johnson
— Joe Frisaro (@JoeFrisaro) July 13, 2012
• Game Time 7:10 pm EDT from Marlins Park. Tonight's GameThread will be up at 6:40 pm EDT.