Washington @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 9, 2011 ) Washington 3, Chi. Cubs 1

THE STORY: Having moved back out of the National League East cellar, Washington looks to continue its upward climb Wednesday night in Chicago when it plays the second of three games against the Cubs. The Nationals won their second straight, taking a 3-1 victory Tuesday after Monday's contest was rained out. Chien-Ming Wang tossed six shutout innings to pick up his first win since June 28, 2009, allowing just one hit.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington), WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUPS: Nationals LH Ross Detwiler (1-1, 2.66) vs. Cubs RH Rodrigo Lopez (2-3, 5.17)

Detwiler was moved back into the Washington rotation at the end of July after holding opponents scoreless in his last six innings of relief. He took a loss August 4 at Colorado, giving up two runs on five hits in five innings, but Detwiler won his lone previous start in 2011, posting a victory over Chicago on July 5 (5 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER) shortly after being called up. Cubs hitters are a combined 5-for-20 against Detwiler, with one of the hits a home run by 3B Aramis Ramirez.

Lopez has had mixed results as a spot starter this season and is coming off a pair of rough road outings that have seen him give up 12 runs on 15 hits and five walks in his last 8 1/3 innings. He has been much more comfortable at Wrigley Field, where his ERA is a respectable 3.17 over eight appearances. Lopez is 1-3 in four career starts against Washington, and he has had trouble with Nationals OF Jonny Gomes (10-for-23, 2 HR, 5 RBIs).

ABOUT THE NATIONALS (56-59): Washington appears to have found a budding star in 1B Michael Morse, who leads the team with a .323 batting average, 20 home runs and 68 runs batted in — but the only other Nationals regular hitting .260 or better is 3B Ryan Zimmerman (.299), who has missed nearly half of the season thus far but also owns a 17-game hit streak after a first-inning single Tuesday. Closer Drew Storen (30 saves, 2.70 ERA) and Tyler Clippard (29 holds, 1.68) anchor a strong bullpen.

ABOUT THE CUBS (49-67): Though it has won seven of its last nine games, Chicago has been buried in the standings this year because of simple mistakes — the Cubs lead the major leagues by a wide margin with 435 walks allowed, and their 94 errors are the most in the National League. An offense that had scored 52 runs in eight games was stymied on Tuesday after a day off, managing just three hits and scoring only on a home run by SS Starlin Castro (.313, 53 RBIs). Chicago can ill afford bad days on offense — its pitching staff is the National League's worst in nearly every major category.

FINAL PITCH: Chicago 3B Aramis Ramirez was a late scratch from the lineup Tuesday due to back spasms.