After the San Diego Padres, and perhaps even the weather, momentarily stymied the surging Washington Nationals, Jordan Zimmermann might have a good chance to help his team bounce back from a series-opening defeat.
Looking to continue his success at Petco Park, the right-hander tries to help the Nationals keep the Padres from a fifth consecutive home victory Friday night.
After the fifth rain delay in Petco history delayed Thursday's contest 1 hour, 56 minutes, San Diego (19-17) earned an 8-3 victory over Washington. Cory Spangenberg homered twice and Derek Norris had a three-run homer and a two-run triple as the Padres improved to 8-5 in May after losing seven of the final eight in April.
Washington (19-17), meanwhile, lost for the fourth time in 16 games.
"It didn't go our way (Thursday)," manager Matt Williams told MLB's official website. "So, we'll get back at it (Friday)."
The Nationals, who averaged 6.5 runs and batted .308 in 15 contests prior to Thursday, haven't lost two in a row since a six-game slide April 22-27.
However, they should feel good about their chances behind Zimmermann (2-2, 4.20 ERA), who has allowed two earned runs and struck out 34 while walking one over 30 innings to go 2-1 in four starts at Petco. His 0.60 ERA there is his lowest in any road park with a minimum of two starts.
He tossed a two-hitter and struck out a career-high 12 during a 6-0 victory June 8 for his second straight complete game at San Diego.
"Big ballpark, just let them hit the ball," Zimmermann said after that outing.
Since giving up eight runs in 2 1-3 innings of a 9-4 loss at Boston on April 13, Zimmermann is 1-1 with a 3.06 ERA in five starts. Though he hasn't factored in the decision of two straight, the Nationals have won each of Zimmermann's last three.
He yielded three runs and eight hits over six innings in a 5-4 win over Atlanta on Sunday.
"It could have been better, for sure," Zimmermann told MLB's official website.
He'll likely get his first look at Norris, who is 8 for 15 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in the last four at Petco and 6 for 12 with three homers and 12 RBIs in four career games against a Nationals club that drafted him in 2007.
Making his fourth start of the season and first appearance versus Washington, Odrisamer Despaigne (2-1, 5.13) aims to bounce back after he allowed career highs of eight runs and 10 hits over five innings of an 11-0 defeat at Arizona on May 7.
"He had a bad game, leaving the ball right over the plate where good hitters like it," Norris said. "Just chalk it up. One of those nights. There were a lot of mistakes.
"There was nothing I could do about it aside from going out there and throwing it for him."
The second-year right-hander is 4-1 with a 1.77 ERA in nine starts at Petco. In his only one there this season, Despaigne gave up a run and two hits in seven innings of a 5-1 win over the Diamondbacks on April 14.
He'll try to cool off Wilson Ramos, who drove in two runs Thursday and is batting .397 with 10 RBIs during a 16-game hitting streak. Ramos went 2 for 19 with two RBIs in his first seven games against the Padres, but is hitting .346 with eight RBIs in his last seven.
