Message #48143

[2k6nats]

Nationals 3
Braves 7
Game 3, FINAL


Ramon Ortiz
10-14, 5.30


Lance Cormier
3-5, 5.23

Lineups:

Washington
LF Soriano
SS Lopez
3B Zimmerman
1B Johnson
RF Kearns
C Schneider
CF Logan
P Ortiz

Atlanta
2B Giles
SS Renteria
3B Jones
CF Jones
C McCann
RF Francouer
1B LaRoche
LF Diaz
P Cormier

Game Preview:

Ramon Ortiz (10-14, 5.30 ERA) will start the series finale for Washington. He allowed five runs and two homers in five innings of Friday's 5-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers  .

''Everything I threw, they hit it,'' Ortiz said. ''It's a crazy game. Tonight, I felt good. I threw good pitches.''

Ortiz has allowed 12 runs in 11 1-3 innings in consecutive losses since taking a no-hitter into the ninth inning in a 4-1 win over St. Louis on Sept. 4. He is 1-4 with a 8.10 ERA in seven career starts against the Braves - his second-highest ERA against any team.

In four starts against Atlanta this season, the right-hander is 1-2 with a 7.54 ERA.

The Braves counter with Lance Cormier (3-5, 5.23), who allowed six runs - four earned - and six hits in two innings of Friday's 6-4 loss to the Florida Marlins - his shortest start of the season. Cormier, who has also made 20 relief appearances, has gone 1-4 with a 4.71 ERA in seven starts this year.

The left-hander is 2-3 with a 9.00 ERA in seven career appearances, including two starts, against the Nationals.