Seeking a much-needed victory after dropping two straight to the new-look Pirates the last two nights, the Nationals will go without Adam Dunn in the lineup today. Lefty Paul Maholm is on the mound for Pittsburgh, and that fact combined with Dunn’s mini-slump lately (he’s struck out six times the last two nights) led Jim Riggleman to decide to give him today off.
So Josh Willingham will make his first start at first base since 2004, when he was with Florida’s Class AA affiliate in North Carolina. He figures to get more chances over the next two months, as the Nats decide who will be the regular first baseman in 2010. Barring a re-signing of Nick Johnson, it sounds like Mike Rizzo is content to go with either Dunn or Willingham in that spot.
SEE RELATED:
OK, here are today’s lineups. First pitch at 1:35…
NATIONALS
CF Nyjer Morgan
SS Cristian Guzman
3B Ryan Zimmerman
1B Josh Willingham
LF Elijah Dukes
2B Ronnie Belliard
RF Austin Kearns
C Wil Nieves
P Collin Balester
PIRATES
CF Andrew McCutchen
LF Lastings Milledge
1B Garrett Jones
C Ryan Doumit
2B Delwyn Young
3B Andy LaRoche
RF Brandon Moss
SS Ronny Cedeno
P Paul Maholm
