--Acting general manager Mike Rizzo said Sunday that despite the Nationals getting off to a poor start, he still believes manager Manny Acta is doing a good job. "I support Manny Acta, and so does the organization, as manager. He's a good young manager, and I think he's handled this ballclub great," Rizzo said.
--RHP Jordan Zimmermann will make his major league debut Monday night against the Atlanta Braves as the Nationals finally call the 22-year-old up from Class AAA Syracuse (N.Y.) to be their fifth starter. Zimmermann was given a rotation spot after an impressive spring training, but he was sent to the minors to start the year because the Nationals schedule didn't call for a fifth starter until the third week of the season. BY THE NUMBERS: 3 -- Ninth-inning leads the Nationals blew in a three-game weekend series with the Florida Marlins. Twice, closer Joel Hanrahan gave up game-tying home runs. Hanrahan rested April 19 after having pitched three games in a row, and Saul Rivera allowed a game-tying double to John Baker.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "There are plenty of guys in Triple-A, and we're not going to stop. We're going to make it better, somehow, some way. We're not going to stay here all season with the same guys going down every single day." -- Nationals manager Manny Acta, on the team retooling its bullpen after Washington's 7-4 loss to Florida on April 19.
