Nationals Video

Hernandez's strong start

Hernandez's RBI single

Dodgers Video

Kuroda's solid start

Kuroda's scoreless start

The Dodgers, who suffered a 6-3 loss to the Nationals on Friday and have lost eight of their last 10, are hoping to get a solid start from Kuroda, who struggled in his last outing on Monday against the Padres when he allowed four earned runs in just four innings in a 10-5 loss.

Dodgers manager Joe Torre certainly isn't worried about Kuroda, as the right-hander has been otherwise impressive this season with a 3.70 ERA in 21 starts.

"He was fine," Torre said. "It was a bad inning. I thought he threw the ball good. If we didn't have two men on base, he would've hit for himself. I wasn't looking to get him out of there.

"He's been good for the most part all year long. A couple of clunkers, one in Colorado I remember. He'll be fine. Most of his starts have been quality, even last time out."

The Nationals, meanwhile, will counter with right-hander Livan Hernandez, who has been a pleasant surprise this season with a 3.12 ERA in 22 starts.

The 35-year-old is coming off an impressive outing against the D-backs on Monday, when he allowed just one run over 7 1/3 innings and picked up the win. He walked the last batter he faced in the eighth inning, and if it weren't for that free pass, Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said he would have left Hernandez in there to try to record his third complete game of the season.

"[Hernandez] was outstanding," Riggleman said. "I hated that last walk he had, because I was going to let him finish that inning and maybe finish the ballgame. When he's throwing like that, hitting spots and keeping hitters off balance, it is one of those nights where he can go nine."

Nationals: Morgan seeks second opinion on hip
Center fielder Nyjer Morgan, who is on the disabled list with a sore right hip, said his hip feels fine and that he's going to Memphis, Tenn., to seek a second opinion. "It's one of those things where I said something just to make sure everything is all right, but it's more a precautionary thing," Morgan said.

Dodgers: Manny to have MRI on Saturday
Left fielder Manny Ramirez is scheduled to have an MRI on his calf strain on Saturday at the club's Spring Training complex in Arizona, but it appears he won't be rejoining the club any time soon. "He was in discomfort yesterday," said Torre, who spoke to Ramirez by phone. "He's not getting worse. But it's something that's going to take a little time. They said it would be three, four, five weeks. It's a little over three weeks now. He's getting frustrated by it. I told him not to get down, it'll turn the corner at some point in time. But it hasn't gone away like he hoped."

Worth noting
Nationals rookie sensation Stephen Strasburg will throw no more than 90 pitches on Tuesday against the Marlins, according to Riggleman. It will be Strasburg's first game since July 21 after missing three starts because of shoulder stiffness. ... Outfielder Bryce Harper, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, has enrolled in classes at the College of Southern Nevada, but the Nats are still hoping to sign him before the Aug. 16 deadline. ... The Dodgers could get shortstop Rafael Furcal (lower back strain) and reliever Ronald Belisario (restricted list) back on Tuesday.