=== Nats continue six-game homestand versus Cardinals ===

(My Sportsbook) - The NL wild card hopeful Washington Nationals will attempt to get back on the winning track this evening, when they tangle with the St. Louis Cardinals in the first of a three-game set.

Washington, which is 2 1/2 contests behind Philadelphia in the wild card, is coming off dropping two of three to Cincinnati at RFK Stadium. The Nationals slipped a half-game further behind Thursday, as they fell 5-3 to the Reds.

Nationals starting pitcher Livan Hernandez (14-6) suffered the loss, allowing four runs on 10 hits in six-plus innings. He struck out five and walked three in the contest.

Jamey Carroll drove in a run and Brad Wilkerson hit a two-run homer for the Nationals, who have dropped six of their last nine games. Vinny Castilla tacked on two hits in the contest.

Prior to the game, the Nationals placed outfielder Ryan Church on the 15-day disabled list with a toe fracture. Washington is expected to recall outfielder Marlon Byrd from Triple-A New Orleans.

Washington, which is in the middle of a six-game homestand, is 35-24 in its friendly confines this season.

The Nationals will have righthander Esteban Loaiza on the mound tonight. Loaiza has won two of his last three starts, including a victory over the New York Mets last Sunday. The 33-year-old surrendered seven hits and three runs over 6 1/3 innings, while fanning eight and walking two. Loaiza is 4-4 with a 2.74 ERA in 12 home starts this season.

Loaiza has tallied a 3-6 mark with a 4.07 ERA versus the Cardinals this season. On May 28, Loaiza surrendered eight hits and three runs over six innings in a loss against St. Louis.

St. Louis will reply with righthander Jeff Suppan on the hill. Suppan has split his last four starts, including a defeat to San Francisco last Sunday. The Oklahoma City, OK native surrendered seven hits and four runs -- one earned -- through six innings, while fanning four and walking two. Suppan is 6-4 with a 4.25 ERA in 11 road starts.

Suppan has tallied a 1-1 record with a 3.38 ERA versus the Nationals in his career. On May 28, Suppan allowed four hits and a run over seven innings in a win.

The Cardinals is fresh off taking three of four from Pittsburgh, including a 6-3 win on Thursday. Jim Edmonds and Albert Pujols each homered in the contest. Edmonds went 3-for-4, scored three times and drove in a pair of runs. Pujols also had three hits and he crossed the plate twice. Yadier Molina and Hector Luna added two hits apiece in the win.

Matt Morris delivered seven strong innings in the game. Morris (14-5) permitted two runs on nine hits while striking out two for the Cardinals, who won three of the four games in the set, including the last two.

St. Louis, which leads the NL Central by 13 1/2 games, is a season-high 34 games over .500. The Cardinals, who are in the middle of 13-game road trip, are 40-22 in foreign buildings.

This is the Cardinals' first regular season trip to D.C. since 1899. Ironically, these teams met in 1999 preseason in Washington D.C. when the Nationals were still the Expos. St. Louis took two of three from Washington at Busch Stadium in May.