Nationals game blog: Jordan Zimmermann aims for series win

Jordan Zimmermann is 0-2 with a 4.25 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break. That stretch began with an abbreviated four-inning outing against the Dodgers, which was interrupted by a power outage at Nationals Park on July 17. After a lengthy delay, Zimmermann wasn't able to continue. He gave up two runs on a homer to Adrian Gonzalez before the lights went out.

Despite the rough patch, Zimmermann was much sharper in his last start, limiting the Rockies to one run on four hits with no walks and six strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings in the Nationals' 5-4 loss last Friday night.

Clayton Kershaw dominated the Nationals on July 18 in D.C., tossing eight scoreless innings while fanning a season-high 14. Clint Robinson, Danny Espinosa and Doug Fister collected the three hits against Kershaw that afternoon, but none will face the left-hander tonight.

Kershaw, the reigning National League MVP, has issued just three walks with 50 strikeouts across 40 innings in his last five starts.

This series features two of the best rookie center fielders in the game. The Dodgers' Joc Pederson made the NL All-Star team after smacking 20 homers with 40 RBIs during the season's first half. But since the Midsummer Classic, the 23-year-old has struggled badly, hitting just .178 (13-for-73) with one homer and three RBIs in 21 games. Pederson leads the NL with 134 strikeouts.

Nationals center fielder Michael A. Taylor is batting .240 with 10 homers and 48 RBIs in his first full season in the majors. Like Pederson, Taylor has racked up a high amount of strikeouts. The 24-year-old experiences difficulties with offspeed pitches and has whiffed 111 times, the ninth-highest mark in the NL.

Taylor's .371 (26-for-70) batting average with runners in scoring position ranks ninth in the majors.