--RHP Jason Bergmann is 0-for-27 as a hitter this season, and he hasn't been able to successfully drop a sacrifice bunt, either. The latter point is most frustrating to the right-hander, who has lost several close games this year and wishes he could have helped his own cause a bit more. "It's been bugging me all season," he said after bunting into a double play on Sunday. "I'm working really hard on that. I'm happy I didn't strike out doing it, but at the same time I did cost us."
--SS Cristian Guzman hopes to return to the Nationals' lineup Tuesday after missing two games with a bruised left thumb. Guzman jammed the thumb on a pitch from Giants RHP Brian Wilson last week in San Francisco. X-rays came back negative, and the Nationals were hoping that three straight days off (the team didn't play Monday) will allow the injury to heal. --RHP Joel Hanrahan was named the Nationals' new closer a week ago after RHP Jon Rauch was traded to Arizona, but he hasn't had an opportunity to pitch in a save situation yet. Washington has lost six straight games since the deal, and Hanrahan has pitched just once -- in the eighth inning Friday with the Nationals trailing the Dodgers. His 67 strikeouts are the second most by any NL reliever, behind only Cubs RHP Carlos Marmol (75).
--OF Austin Kearns has shown significant improvement since his return from right elbow surgery. Kearns was hitting just .187 when he went on the DL with bone chips in his elbow, but he's hitting .274 with two homers and 11 RBIs in 19 games since coming back on July 3.
--OF Ryan Langerhans has played well when given a chance to start recently, but those opportunities aren't going to come much more. Langerhans is 8-for-19 with four extra-base hits in his last five starts. But with OF Lastings Milledge back from a groin injury and OF Elijah Dukes close to returning from knee surgery, there isn't a regular spot in the lineup for Langerhans, who will have to keep up his hot ways from the bench.
BY THE NUMBERS: 9 -- Consecutive games the Nationals have lost at Dodger Stadium after getting swept July 25-27.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Redding pitched well enough to get three wins today." -- Outfielder Willie Harris, on teammate Tim Redding, who allowed one run over eight innings July 25 at San Francisco but still suffered the loss.
