Washington @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 6, 2011 ) Washington 7, Colorado 15

THE STORY: The Colorado Rockies could have been forgiven for having their minds elsewhere on Saturday night. Instead, they went out and put 15 runs on the board. The Rockies will be worried about rookie pitcher Juan Nicasio for some time after the 24-year-old underwent neck surgery on Saturday. But at least they were able to put it behind them for one night. The Washington Nationals will be looking to secure a split of the four-game series when they send John Lannan to the mound at Coors Field on Sunday afternoon.

TV: 3:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Washington), ROOT (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Aaron Cook (2-6, 5.34 ERA) vs. Nationals LH John Lannan (8-7, 3.65 ERA).

Cook left his last start after four innings due to muscle spasms in his neck. The veteran sinkerballer had allowed four runs against the Philadelphia Phillies before leaving and ended up suffering the loss. Cook has completed seven innings only once in 10 starts this season. He owns a 2-2 record with a 4.54 ERA in nine career games – six starts – against Washington.

Lannan struck out a season-high eight in 6 2/3 innings Tuesday while allowing three runs to earn the win. The 26-year-old lefthander has surrendered three runs or less in 12 of his last 13 starts. Lannan was forced out of a start against Colorado on July 8 when he was hit in the nose by a line drive off the bat of Ty Wigginton in the fourth inning. Lannan is 0-2 with a 7.56 ERA in five career starts against the Rockies.

ABOUT THE ROCKIES (53-61): Nicasio, who was hit on the right side of the head by a line drive on Friday night, had surgery early Saturday to stabilize a fractured vertebrae. The righthander had two screws inserted into the C-1 vertebrae and a small metal plate put in to stabilize the area. Although Nicasio can move his arms and talk, he is listed in serious but stable condition. On the field, Carlos Gonzalez returned to the lineup after an absence of just over two weeks and added two hits and two runs scored to the 19-hit attack. Dexter Fowler drove in four runs and Chris Iannetta went 4-for-5 with three runs scored to pace the offense. Troy Tulowitzki posted his third straight multi-hit game, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs. The 15-7 triumph was just the second win in the last seven games for Colorado.

ABOUT THE NATIONALS (54-59): Ryan Zimmerman extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a two-hit effort on Saturday. Mike Morse added four hits and three RBIs to provide the few highlights for the Nationals, who allowed their most runs of the season in the contest. Since bridging July and August with four straight wins, Washington has dropped three of four. Pitching has been the big problem, as the staff allowed six runs in each of the first two setbacks before blowing up on Saturday. Livan Hernandez took the brunt of the punishment, surrendering nine runs – seven earned – in 3 2/3 innings.

FINAL PITCH: Washington righthander Stephen Strasburg will make his first rehab appearance on Sunday at Class A Hagerstown. The former No. 1 overall pick has been recovering from Tommy John surgery. Veteran catcher Pudge Rodriguez is also in Hagerstown on a rehab assignment and could catch Strasburg.