Nationals game blog: Nats look to Joe Ross to end skid

By Josh Land

Nationals

August 16, 2015, 10:33am

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The Nationals send rookie Joe Ross to the mound in hopes of ending a five-game losing streak. Ross is coming off his worst outing since making his major league debut on June 6. The 22-year-old surrendered five runs on six hits with four walks in the Nats' 5-0 loss to the Dodgers last Tuesday. It was the first time Ross allowed more than three runs in any of his eight starts in the big leagues.

Ross a native of nearby Berkeley, Calif., attended Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, 18 miles from AT&T Park.

It will be tall task facing 2014 World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner. The Giants' dominant left-hander is coming off a complete-game 12-strikeout performance in a 3-1 win over the Astros five days ago. The 26-year-old is 13-6 with a 3.15 ERA this year, but that includes a six-run pounding at the hands of the Nats on July 4 in D.C.

Michael A. Taylor and Bryce Harper provided the Fourth of July fireworks with first-inning homers off Bumgarner, who exited after the fifth.

Including postseason play, Bumgarner is 2-5 with a 3.32 ERA in nine career starts against the Nationals. He has lost his last three outings against Washington with a 4.74 ERA in those games.

Harper is 4-for-11 with two homers in his career against the Giants ace.