Washington @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 4, 2011 ) Washington 3, Colorado 6

THE STORY: With the season having slipped away following a strong opening first month, the Colorado Rockies will have to settle for attaining more modest goals as they host the Washington Nationals in the second of a four-game series on Friday night. Having snapped a four-game losing streak with a 6-3 win in Thursday’s opener, the Rockies can move within a game of a .500 record at home with a victory Friday. Washington fell to 21-35 away from home to tie Milwaukee for the second-most road losses in the National League.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Washington), ROOT Sports (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Jordan Zimmermann (6-9, 3.12 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Juan Nicasio (4-3, 3.95).

Zimmermann is looking at three or four more starts before the team shuts him down when he reaches his designated 160-inning limit. He is 0-2 in his last three outings, receiving a no-decision last time out despite throwing six scoreless innings against the New York Mets. Zimmermann's last win came against Colorado on July 10, when he allowed four hits in 6 1/3 scoreless innings.

Nicasio also didn't factor in the decision in his last start. The rookie struck out a career-high 10 batters and allowed two runs in seven innings against San Diego. The Dominican righty, who will turn 25 at the end of the month, pitched brilliantly in three starts at Coors Field in July. He surrendered only one run and 12 hits in 22 innings.

ABOUT THE ROCKIES (52-60): Troy Tulowitzki homered and had three hits to help end the four-game skid. It was his fifth multi-hit game in the last eight and boosted his average from .277 to .291 in that stretch. Ty Wigginton and Chris Nelson each had a pair of hits and an RBI and Eric Young drove in a pair of runs – his first RBIs since May 29. One area of concern was closer Huston Street, who gave up two runs on three hits in the ninth. Street had blown a save against Philadelphia in his previous appearance.

ABOUT THE NATIONALS (53-58): Washington suffered its second straight loss following a four-game winning streak, but the Nationals couldn’t complain about the performance of Ross Detwiler. Making his second start of the season following five straight relief appearances, he yielded two runs on five hits in five innings. He got little help from his offense, which managed 10 hits but stranded 10 runners. Ryan Zimmerman continued his torrid stretch, collecting three hits to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. Zimmerman is batting .447 (25-for-56) during that span.

FINAL PITCH: Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg will make a rehab appearance Sunday at Class A Hagerstown. It will be Strasburg’s first game action since undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2010. The No. 1 overall draft pick in 2009, Strasburg went 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA last year.