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Back to playing spoiler, the Nats host the Braves this weekend as Atlanta tries to hold on to the N.L. wild-card lead by the hair of its chinny, chin chin. Despite getting swept by the Phillies during the week, the Braves are still a ½ game in front. But they are insane if they take Washington likely. The Nats already took two of three last week at Turner Field – a series where Atlanta scored six runs total.

But they have the perfect man on the mound tonight to get the series started right. No pitcher is more qualified to have the Nats call him their daddy than Tim Hudson (16-8, 2.61 ERA). The 35-year-old is 10-1 with a 1.55 ERA in 17 career starts against the Nats/Expos. That includes four starts this season – 28 2/3 innings with three runs allowed. That’s just ridiculous. Hudson has two wins and two no-decision to show for it.

Jordan Zimmermann (0-2, 6.75) has just one more start after this game. He has not made it out of the fourth inning in four of his five starts since returning from Tommy John surgery. It’d be nice to get him a quality outing against a desperate team and build some momentum for 2011. Ryan Zimmerman is out of the lineup again thanks to a strained rib muscle. Adam Dunn is back after a tight hamstring and an elbow bruise kept him out on Thursday. This is the last game the Nats will play without Nyjer Morgan, whose eight-game suspension is up after tonight’s game. Washington manager Jim Riggleman says Morgan will be back in center on Saturday afternoon and may bat in the No. 2 hole. He reserves the right to change his mind, of course. Here are the lineups for both teams:

Braves:

Infante – 2B

Heyward – RF

Prado – 3B

McCann – C

Lee – 1B

McLouth – CF

Gonzalez – SS

Diaz – LF

Hudson – SP

Nationals:

Espinosa – 2B

Bernadina – CF

Desmond – SS

Dunn – 1B

Morse – RF

Harris – LF

Rodriguez – C

Gonzalez – 3B

Zimmermann – SP

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