(Best E Casino) - Streaking second-year right-hander Tim Lincecum goes for his seventh start without a loss tonight, when the San Francisco Giants head to Washington for the first of four games against the host Nationals.

Lincecum, who'll turn 24 on June 15, is 3-0 with three no-decisions in six starts since his lone loss of 2008 - a 3-2 defeat against Colorado on April 29 in which he surrendered eight hits and three runs in seven innings.

He's permitted just 30 hits and 12 earned runs in 40 1/3 innings since, including a strong effort against San Diego on Sunday, in which he got a no- decision after allowing four hits and a run in seven innings. The Giants won the game, 4-3.

The 10th overall pick in the 2006 draft, Lincecum made one start against the Nationals last season and allowed five hits and a run over seven innings, walking five and striking out eight.

Former Montreal Expos draft choice Jason Bergmann looks for his first win since May 15 for the Nationals tonight.

An 11th-round pick in 2002, Bergmann allowed just three hits and struck out nine in seven innings against the New York Mets on May 15, picking up his lone win of 2008.

He's 0-1 with two no-decisions since, including a 4-0 loss at Arizona on Saturday. Bergmann gave up seven hits and four runs in eight innings in that game, but was outdueled by the Diamondbacks' Brandon Webb.

Bergmann has made one career relief appearance against the Giants, allowing a hit and striking out four in two scoreless innings.

On Thursday in Washington, Elijah Dukes hit his first homer as a member of the Nationals, a dramatic two-run shot in the bottom of the 10th inning, as Washington earned a 10-9 win over St. Louis in the back end of a doubleheader.

Struggling with a .148 average entering Thursday, Dukes had four hits, four RBI and scored three times in the nightcap as the Nationals snapped a four- game skid.

After scoring just two runs over their previous four contests, the Nationals finally broke out offensively with 16 hits and posted their largest run-output since beating the New York Mets, 10-4, on the road on May 12.

In the day game, Todd Wellemeyer tossed six shutout innings and Albert Pujols hit the first pinch-hit home run of his career in St. Louis' 4-1 win.

Cristian Guzman had four hits with an RBI and scored three times for Washington in the opener, while Aaron Boone and Kory Castro both drove in two runs.

On Wednesday in San Francisco, Jose Reyes had three hits, including a two-run home run, in the New York Mets' 5-3 victory over the Giants in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Rookie Travis Denker doubled and tripled -- both the firsts of his career -- for the Giants, also scoring one of the team's three runs. San Francisco has now lost four of its last six after winning six of eight.

Giants starter Matt Cain (2-4) allowed five hits and five runs in five innings, walking four and striking out three in his third consecutive loss to the Mets.

Washington is 9-4 versus San Francisco since the start of the 2006 season, winning five of six at home in that span.