Third-year right-hander Jordan Zimmermann makes his 40th career major league start today when the Washington Nationals host the Chicago Cubs in a holiday afternoon start to a four-game series at Nationals Park.
A second-round pick of the Nationals in 2007, Zimmermann reached the majors and made 16 starts in 2009 - winning three times.
He returned for seven starts last season and has emerged this year with 16 starts in the schedule's first half, winning just five decisions while turning in a stingy 2.63 earned run average.
He's allowed three earned runs or less in each of his last 10 starts and pitched at least six innings in all 10 as well, though he's won just three times in that stretch.
Zimmermann lost his only career start against the Cubs after giving up four earned runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
He'll be opposed by right-hander Casey Coleman, who began the season with the big league club but is being pressed into action to replace teammate Ryan Dempster, who was hospitalized Saturday night because of a stomach ailment.
It's Coleman's first appearance since June 11, when he was touched for two hits and three runs in a one-inning relief outing against Philadelphia.
He started eight games between April 10 and May 25 and was 2-4 with a 7.32 ERA, then pitched out of the bullpen twice before being sent to Triple-A Des Moines.
Coleman won his only career start against Washington after allowing a run on three hits in 6 1/3 innings.
On Sunday in Washington, Lyle Overbay went 3-for-4 with three RBI and Kevin Correia cruised to his 11th win of the season, as the Pittsburgh Pirates earned an easy 10-2 victory over the Nationals in the finale of a four-game series.
Washington's Jason Marquis (7-3) lasted just 1 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs -- six earned -- on eight hits.
Wilson Ramos provided the only offense for the Nationals -- losers of six of their last nine -- with a two-run homer.
Meanwhile in Chicago, Aramis Ramirez's two-run homer was enough for the Cubs to slip by the White Sox, 3-1, and avoid a three-game sweep.
Rodrigo Lopez (1-2) allowed just two hits in seven scoreless innings to pick up his first win in a Cubs uniform. He had started only two of his first 11 games with the club this season.
Starlin Castro went 2-for-4 with a run batted in for the victors.
The Cubs took four of six from the Nats last season and have won 11 of the last 15 overall matchups.
A second-round pick of the Nationals in 2007, Zimmermann reached the majors and made 16 starts in 2009 - winning three times.
He returned for seven starts last season and has emerged this year with 16 starts in the schedule's first half, winning just five decisions while turning in a stingy 2.63 earned run average.
He's allowed three earned runs or less in each of his last 10 starts and pitched at least six innings in all 10 as well, though he's won just three times in that stretch.
Zimmermann lost his only career start against the Cubs after giving up four earned runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
He'll be opposed by right-hander Casey Coleman, who began the season with the big league club but is being pressed into action to replace teammate Ryan Dempster, who was hospitalized Saturday night because of a stomach ailment.
It's Coleman's first appearance since June 11, when he was touched for two hits and three runs in a one-inning relief outing against Philadelphia.
He started eight games between April 10 and May 25 and was 2-4 with a 7.32 ERA, then pitched out of the bullpen twice before being sent to Triple-A Des Moines.
Coleman won his only career start against Washington after allowing a run on three hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Washington's Jason Marquis (7-3) lasted just 1 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs -- six earned -- on eight hits.
Wilson Ramos provided the only offense for the Nationals -- losers of six of their last nine -- with a two-run homer.
Meanwhile in Chicago, Aramis Ramirez's two-run homer was enough for the Cubs to slip by the White Sox, 3-1, and avoid a three-game sweep.
Rodrigo Lopez (1-2) allowed just two hits in seven scoreless innings to pick up his first win in a Cubs uniform. He had started only two of his first 11 games with the club this season.
Starlin Castro went 2-for-4 with a run batted in for the victors.
The Cubs took four of six from the Nats last season and have won 11 of the last 15 overall matchups.
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