Nationals (45-32) vs. San Francisco Giants (45-35)
Game: No. 78
When: Tuesday, July 3
Where: Nationals Park
Time: 6:35 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: 106.7FM – The Fan/WFED 1500AM
Battle of the two first place teams this week at Nationals Park as the Nats face the San Francisco Giants, who lead the N.L. West. Nice way to head into the All-Star break and Washington’s players said they need to finish this stretch of games strong. Normally, going up against two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum wouldn’t be ideal. But this season the Giants’ ace is 3-8 with a 5.60 ERA – and that’s after a solid start against the Dodgers last time out with seven shutout innings. Is he headed back to form? Is Lincecum hurt? Is he just fading as he approaches his late 20s? No real answers to those questions, but it will be interesting to see what the Nats get out of him.
“I saw [Lincecum] pitch a pretty good game the other day so I don’t know what the low side is,” Washington manager Davey Johnson said. “I was trying to catch up on how they’re doing. But pitchers can do that. At the end of the year I’m sure he’s going to have a good year. Got a good arm, great competitor. But, no, I pay a little more attention to guys on my own staff.”
Lineup
Giants
RF – Gregor Blanco
2B – Ryan Theriot
LF – Melky Cabrera
1B – Buster Posey
3B – Pablo Sandoval
CF – Angel Pagan
C – Hector Sanchez
SS – Brandon Crawford
SP – Tim Lincecum
Nats
LF – Steve Lombardozzi,
CF – Bryce Harper
3B – Ryan Zimmerman
RF – Michael Morse
1B – Adam LaRoche
SS – Ian Desmond
2B – Danny Espinosa
C – Jesus Flores
SP – Jordan Zimmermann
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