(Best E Casino) - Former
New York Yankees farmhand Tyler Clippard makes his first appearance with the
Washington Nationals tonight, when his new club hosts the
San Francisco Giants in the finale of a four-game series at Nationals Park.
A 6-foot-3, 199-pound right-hander, Clippard was a ninth-round selection of the Yankees in 2003. He reached the big leagues and made six starts with New York in 2007, going 3-1 with a 6.33 earned run average while allowing 29 hits and 19 runs in 27 innings.
The 23-year-old was traded to the Yankees for relief pitcher Jonathan Albaladejo over the winter.
For the Giants, right-hander Matt Cain tries to end a five-start drought when he takes the mound tonight.
The former first-round pick (25th overall in 2002) defeated Houston with eight innings of seven-hit, two-run ball on May 13, but is since 0-1 with four no-decisions since.
Cain dropped a 5-3 verdict to the New York Mets in his last start on Wednesday, allowing five hits and five runs in five innings. He is 1-2 with a 3.38 ERA in four starts against the Nationals.
On Sunday, Barry Zito threw five innings to earn his second win of the season and John Bowker hit a two-run homer as the Giants defeated Washington, 6-3.
Randy Winn had two hits and a pair of runs batted in for the Giants, who have won three in a row and five of their last seven games.
Aaron Rowand had two hits and an RBI, while Ray Durham finished 4-for-5 with a run scored as the Giants rallied from a three-run deficit by scoring four times in the fifth inning.
Zito (2-9) gave up three runs on seven hits, while striking out two and walking four. Brian Wilson recorded his 17th save of the season with a scoreless ninth.
Lastings Milledge went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two RBI while Wil Nieves drove in a run for Washington, which has dropped 10 of its last 13 games.
Garrett Mock (0-1) was tagged with the loss in his major league debut. The Washington righty was touched for four runs on seven hits, while walking three and not recording a strikeout over 4 1/3 innings.
Mock was replacing veteran Odalis Perez, who was held out for a start due to tendinitis and the club's desire not to pitch John Lannan on short rest.
Washington is 9-7 versus San Francisco since the start of the 2006 season, winning five of nine at home in that span.
