Jordan Zimmerman aims to win his fifth straight decision on Saturday when the Washington Nationals continue a four-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.
Zimmerman did not get a decision on Monday against the New York Mets, but was terrific in allowing just a run and four hits in six innings. He has gone at least six innings in each of his 20 starts this season and is 7-6 on the year with a 2.31 ERA.
"Every time you have a good start, you feel good," Zimmermann said. "I mean, you always want to carry it over to the next start, and I have a pretty good streak going right now. Everything's been working, so hopefully it continues."
Zimmerman, who has never faced the Brewers, is unbeaten in his last six starts, pitching to a 0.95 ERA in that span.
The Brewers, meanwhile, will counter with veteran lefty Randy Wolf, who is 3-6 with a 5.46 ERA. Wolf, though, has pitched well his last two times out, but did not get a decision in Philadelphia on Monday, despite surrendering two runs and five hits - two solo home runs in the first inning - in six innings of a 7-6 loss.
"It's been by far the most frustrating year of my professional career," said Wolf. "Personally, it's been frustrating. Team-wise, it's been frustrating. It's been a very tough year. It's been a lot of losses that are hard to swallow."
Wolf is 9-5 lifetime versus the Nationals with a 4.54 ERA in 21 starts.
On Friday, Mike Fiers posted a career-high nine strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings and the Brewers beat Washington, 6-0, capping a day of change for Milwaukee.
Before the game, the Brewers, who are mired in fourth place in the NL Central, traded away their ace Zack Greinke to the Angels. In exchange, Milwaukee will receive shortstop Jean Segura and a pair of Double-A pitchers - Ariel Pena and Johnny Hellweg.
Corey Hart and Aramis Ramirez each smacked two-run homers, as Milwaukee snapped their seven-game skid and Washington's six-game winning streak.
"We did a nice job of concentrating. We knew what we had to get done. Any time you lose one of your main guys it changes your make up," said Brewers manager Ron Roenicke.
Fiers (4-4) gave up four hits and walked three in 6 1/3 shutout innings to even this four-game series.
Ross Detwiler (5-4) surrendered seven hits and four runs over 4 2/3 frames to suffer his first defeat since May 19 against Baltimore. The Nationals were limited to four hits, all singles.
"That's a good hitting team over there," said Detwiler. "They will capitalize if you make a mistake. I put us in hole early."
The Brewers reportedly made the decision to trade Greinke, the 2009 AL Cy Young Award winner after an 0-6 road trip. That included three straight 7-6 losses at Philadelphia, when the Phillies rallied to win each game in their final at-bat.
"We greatly appreciate Zack's contributions to the Brewers," general manager Doug Melvin said. "He will be greatly missed on the field and in the clubhouse. We wish him nothing but the very best. We are also very excited about acquiring three good young players who are already on the 40-man roster. We look forward to them joining organization and their future contributions to the Brewers."
Washington won three straight in April and Milwaukee took three straight in May. The Brewers have won the season series each year since 2006.
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