Nationals game blog: Important road trip begins in L.A.

By Josh Land

Nationals

August 10, 2015, 5:41pm

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The Nationals are set to begin an 11-game, 10-day road trip, which is likely to prove crucial for playoff positioning.

"Look, it is what it is," pirtcher Max Scherzer said. "You have to win all these games. You have to find a way to dig deep and win these series. I know we're playing some great teams. We're going to face the Dodgers, Giants and (the Rockies) again. It's going to be an absolute grind.

"That's what August is about. You have to grind through the schedule and keep going at it. With 162 (games), when you get in August, you have to find a way just to dig deep and grind out these games. It's one pitch, one inning at a time. Sometimes you just gotta remind yourself that's what it takes to win at this time of the year."

The Nationals will see Dodgers aces Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw over the next two days. But tonight they'll face Dodgers left-hander Brett Anderson, who has allowed three runs over 13 innings in his last two starts.

Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez is 1-1 with a 2.50 ERA in three career starts against the Dodgers. Gonzalez has yielded two or fewer runs in seven straight starts.

Ryan Zimmerman enters tonight's action with RBIs in seven straight games, tying Christian Guzman for the second longest such streak in Nationals history. Zimmerman holds the team record, driving in runs in nine consecutive games in September 2012.

In 12 games since coming off the disabled list, Zimmerman is hitting .318 (14-for-44) with four homers, five doubles and 10 RBIs.