Washington Nationals' Jordan Zimmermann Throws Against Colorado Rockies In "First-Half" Finale.

In his last six starts, including one against the Rockies he faces this afternoon in Nats Park, Washington Natitonals' right-hander Jordan Zimmermann is (2-1) with a 2.54 ERA, nine walks (2.07 BB/9) and 28 K's (6.46 K/9) over 39.0 IP. In Coors Field in Colorado, the 26-year-old starter gave up just one run on eight hits and three walks over 7.0 IP of a game the Nats ended up winning 11-5. Last time out against San Francisco, the '07 2nd Round pick held the Giants to two runs, one earned in 7.0 IP over which he gave up seven hits and recorded seven K's in what ended up a 9-3 win for Washington. "Everything was working tonight," Zimmermann told MASN's Johnny Holliday and Ray Knight after the game against the Giants, "The slider was real good and the curveball I was able to bounce on the plate when I wanted to with two strikes and get some guys to chase and the fastball command was actually there tonight."

Zimmermann enters play this afternoon with a (3-0) record in four career starts against Colorado, having allowed 23 H, 7 R, 5 ER and 9 walks (3.52 BB/9) to the Rockies' hitters, while recording 18 K's (7.04 K/9) and posting a 1.96 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and .271 BAA in 23.0 IP against the NL West club. Zimmermann enters his final start of the so-called "first-half" of the 2012 campaign with a (5-6) record, 2.70 ERA, 3.72 FIP, 20 walks (1.74 BB/9) and 72 K's (6.27 K/9) in 16 starts and 103.1 IP. According to reports out of Nationals Park this morning, he'll likely be first out of the gate in the "second-half" too, as Davey Johnson told reporters this afternoon that Zimmermann may pitch the first game back next Friday in Miami depending on how Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez are used in this week's All-Star Game in Kansas City.

• Here's the lineup that will back Jordan Zimmermann up this afternoon in the series and "first-half" finale with the Rockies:

#Nationals lineup vs. COL - Lombardozzi 7, Harper 8, Zimmerman 5, Morse 9, LaRoche 3, Desmond 6, Espinosa 4, Solano 2, Zimmermann 1

— Nationals PR (@NationalsPR) July 8, 2012