Ryan Perry and Cole Kimball both start tonight; Destin Hood returns

Right-hander Ryan Perry gets his second professional start tonight as Double-A Harrisburg plays host to Altoona. Perry went three innings in his first start and was very solid. If Perry can have some "easy" innings tonight, as Senators pitching coach Paul Menhart termed them, he will likely be extended to four innings. Harrisburg right fielder Destin Hood returns to the lineup after getting a day off this week. Hood hit the ball well in his first game back, but the Nationals want to monitor how his wrist reacts, and did not want to play him in a day game after a night game. With tonight's game under the lights, Hood is batting sixth and is in right field again. In Salem, Nationals right-hander Cole Kimball will start for high Single-A Potomac in a rehab start. Kimball continues to progress well from a torn rotator cuff last season, which was expected to keep him out until the All-Star break this year. Update: Kimball faced only six batters and allowed four hits, including three homers. He recorded just two outs. He allowed the first two hitters to go back-to-back. The fifth hitter hit a two-run shot. He induced one groundout and one flyout. A team source does not believe Kimball was relieved due to any injury, just pitch count, which reportedly reached 25. Destin Hood went 0-for-3 with a run scored. He also recorded his 21st RBI on a run-scoring error. Perry took the loss (0-1), allowing a two-out single and a solo homer in 3 2/3 innings. He surrendered just those two hits, but three walks and five strikeouts with 57 pitches, 34 for strikes. Right-hander Henry Rodriguez pitched another scoreless and hitless inning with one strikeout. He has yet to give up a run or a hit in his minor league rehab assignments.