Needing a win, Nationals turn to Gio Gonzalez (with lineups)

Gio Gonzalez heads to the mound to take his turn at stopping the Nationals' losing streak, now at four games. The left-hander is 5-0 with a 1.48 ERA in his last eight starts.

Gonzalez is coming off his best outing of the season, holding the Dodgers scoreless over eight innings in the Nationals' 8-3 win last Monday. After failing to finish six innings in his previous three starts, Gonzalez turned in his longest start of the season five days ago.

"The eight innings means a lot," Gonzalez told reporters. "I told skip (Matt Williams) thank you for finally giving me a chance to finally go out there and open up what I needed to open up. And finally get that confidence to go out there and pass the sixth and seventh inning."

Gonzalez is 3-2 with a 2.40 ERA in eight career starts against the Giants, which includes a 2-1 win over right-hander Jake Peavy at Nationals Park on July 3. A seventh-inning solo homer from Buster Posey was the only run Gonzalez allowed that night.

Peavy was also cruising through the first six innings in D.C., blanking the Nationals until Clint Robinson answered Peavy's tater with a two-run shot in the bottom of the seventh.

Peavy is 4-6 with a 3.79 ERA in 13 career appearances against Washington, including 12 starts.

Robinson makes his second straight start, this time at first base as Ryan Zimmerman gets a rest. Robinson is 4-for-7 (.571) with a double over his last three games.

For the Nationals:
CF Michael A. Taylor
2B Anthony Rendon
RF Bryce Harper
3B Yunel Escobar
1B Clint Robinson
SS Ian Desmond
LF Jayson Werth
C Jose Lobaton
LHP Gio Gonzalez

For the Giants:
CF Gregor Blanco
3B Matt Duffy
LF Brandon Belt
1B Buster Posey
RF Hunter Pence
SS Brandon Crawford
2B Kelby Tomlinson
C Hector Sanchez
RHP Jake Peavy