Washington Nationals (38-65) at Los Angeles Dodgers (50-52), 10:10 p.m.

By Sports Network - The Sports Network

The Los Angeles Dodgers are so close to the top of the NL West they can probably taste it. Tonight, they will try to keep their taste buds peaked in the second test of a three-game series at Chavez Ravine.

The Dodgers are one game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks in the division standings, and opened this series with a 3-2 victory on Friday. Nomar Garciaparra highlighted a three-run sixth inning with a two-run single for the Dodgers, who ended a two-game slide and won for the third time in five games.

Jeff Kent was 2-for-4 and James Loney recorded LA's other RBI, while starting pitcher Chad Billingsley yielded just two runs on five hits and three walks in 7 2/3 innings for the win. Jonathan Broxton got the final four outs for his third save of the season.

LA opened a 10-game homestand on a winning note and improved to 26-24 at Dodger Stadium this season. It will send Derek Lowe to the home mound on Saturday, and he is 7-8 with a 3.97 ERA this season. Lowe is 2-0 over his last three starts -- all Dodger wins -- but did not factor in the outcome of a 6-5 victory over Arizona on July 20.

Lowe was roughed up against the D'Backs, allowing four runs and seven hits through 5 1/3 innings of work. The righty will try to rebound against a Washington club he owns a 4-0 mark and a 3.58 ERA against.

Washington has been struggling as of late, having lost four straight and 14 of its last 18 contests. In Friday's setback to LA in the opener of this set, starter John Lannan was saddled with the loss after allowing three runs on six hits and a pair of walks in seven innings of work.

Austin Kearns had a pair of hits, while Willie Harris and Ryan Zimmerman both added an RBI in defeat. The Nationals are 2-5 on a nine-game road trip and 18-35 as the visitor this season.

Taking the ball for the Nats tonight will be former Dodger Odalis Perez, who is 3-7 with a 3.99 earned run average in 2008. Perez was 0-3 in five starts before his previous outing on July 20, when he took advantage of a 15-6 pounding of the Atlanta Braves.

Perez permitted five runs and nine hits in five frames against Atlanta. The big lefty has a chance to stay perfect against Los Angeles on Saturday, as he sports a 2-0 record and a 2.25 ERA in three career starts in this series. Perez has held the Dodgers to a .216 batting average in those appearances.

Washington and Los Angeles are meeting for the first time since the Dodgers won five of six games during the 2007 campaign.

 

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