The Washington Nationals are off to their best start since moving from Montreal and seek to continue their solid play when they open a three-game road series against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday. Washington is a surprising 12-4 and leads the National League East while enjoying its best season-opening stretch in eight seasons in the nation’s capital. San Diego has posted its first two-game winning streak of the season after beating the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday and Sunday.

CLICK HERE to Bet on MLB Baseball at Bovada

Pitching has been big in Washington’s early-season success and offseason acquisition Gio Gonzalez will start for the Nationals. Gonzalez has hurled seven innings of two-hit shutout ball in each of his last two starts and will be well-rested after Sunday’s postponement. Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman sat out Saturday’s game with shoulder soreness and the rain-out and off-day should aid his recovery. The Padres are just 5-12 but scored 11 runs in the final two games against Philadelphia after scoring just eight runs over their previous four contests. Catcher Nick Hundley homered and had a career-best four RBIs on Sunday.

Nationals Padres Betting

When: 10:05 PM ET, Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Where: Petco Park, San Diego, California
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Nationals), Fox Sports San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (1-0, 2.04 ERA) vs. Padres LH Clayton Richard (1-1, 5.89 ERA)

Gonzalez has rebounded nicely after a poor outing against the Chicago Cubs in his first start since joining the Nationals in a trade. He has struck out 21 batters and walked only five in 17 2/3 innings. Gonzalez never previously faced the Padres during parts of four seasons as a member of the Oakland Athletics.
Richard has allowed 16 runs (12 earned) in his last two starts and has given up four homers in 18 1/3 innings. The Colorado Rockies torched him for eight runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings in his last outing. Richard is 1-2 with a 3.48 ERA in five career starts against Washington.

WALK-OFFS: CLICK HERE for 500 Handicappers Package FOR 5$  

1. The Nationals are 6-2 in one-run games.

2. Washington shortstop Ian Desmond has hit two homers in 12 career at-bats against Richard.

3. San Diego third baseman Chase Headley is batting .362 with four homers while hitting safely in 13 of 14 games.