(My Sportsbook) - With their slim wild card hopes hanging in the balance, the Washington Nationals have little option but to get back on the winning track tonight, when they open a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants at RFK Stadium.

Washington has dropped back-to-back crucial contests to slip four games behind Houston in the wild card race. The Nationals suffered a 2-1 defeat to the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Sunday.

Nationals reliever Joey Eischen (2-1) allowed the game-winning run in the contest. Starter Esteban Loaiza twirled seven solid innings, giving up just seven hits in the contest.

Cristian Guzman had an RBI and Gary Bennett added two hits for Washington, which has lost two in a row after winning four straight.

Washington, which is beginning a six-game homestand, is 40-32 in its friendly confines this season.

Washington will rely on veteran Livan Hernandez to get the job done on the hill tonight. Hernandez is 0-1 over his last two starts and has just one win since August 15, including a no-decision versus the Mets last Thursday. The Cuban hurler was not at his best against New York, allowing nine hits and five runs over six innings in the eventual 6-5 Washington win. Hernandez is 7-5 with 3.70 ERA in 14 home starts this season.

Hernandez, who spent three-plus seasons with the Giants (1999-2002), is 1-2 with an impressive 2.72 ERA in his career versus his former club.

San Francisco will respond with future ace Matt Cain on the hill. Cain has been terrific in his rookie campaign, amassing a 2-1 mark with a 2.00 ERA in four starts. The 20-year-old is 2-0 over his last three outings, including a tough luck no-decision versus San Diego last Wednesday. Cain allowed just three hits and two runs over six innings despite permitting a career-high six walks. This will be Cains first-ever start against Washington.

The Giants are fresh off taking the final three of four from the arch-rival Los Angeles Dodgers, including a 5-3 win on Sunday. San Francisco resides six contests behind first place San Diego in the NL West.

Mike Matheny's sixth-inning homer broke a tie and the Giants went on to pick up the win. Barry Bonds also homered and drove in a pair of runs for the Giants in the game. Bonds ended 2-for-3 with home run No. 705 and moved into sole possession of ninth place on the all-time RBI list with 1,846. He passed Carl Yastrzemski, who had 1,844.

Randy Winn homered for a second straight game and finished with three hits for San Francisco, which has won five of its last seven games.

Giants reliever Matt Kinney (2-0) got the win in relief of starter Noah Lowry. Kinney surrendered the tying run in the top of the sixth. Lowry allowed two runs on five hits in five innings. He also struck out five and walked two.

San Francisco, which is beginning a 10-game road trip, is 33-38 in foreign ballparks this season.

Washington took two of three from the Giants at SBC Park in early May. Since the start of last season, the Giants are 6-3 versus the Nationals.