The Washington Nationals continue their quest for the NL title at RFK tonight. After taking three of four from the first place Braves, they'll host the first place Marlins in a three game set. It's a great matchup tonight, as Josh Beckett faces Livan Hernandez. Beckett is a different pitcher away from Miami. This season, his ERA is three runs higher, due mostly to his batting average allowed being 100 points higher. That is strange, however, because he strikes out batters at a higher rate on the road. Maybe it's harder to play defense away from Dolphins Stadium.

Livan Hernandez continues to be the iron man of the team and the league. His 82 1/3 innings is tied with Roy Oswalt for the NL lead, and Livan should have that to himself after tonight. Since the start of 2003, he leads all pitchers with 570 2/3 frames on the mound.

Two hot teams meet on the West Coast as the surging Cubs take on the May Maulers, the San Diego Padres. Derrek Lee continues to pound the ball; in six of his last seven games he's had multiple hits, a total of 19 (nearly three hits a game). Phil Nevin has a nine game hit streak for the Padres in which he's driven in 11 runs.

Enjoy!

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