NLDS Cardinals-Nationals Game 4 preview: Kyle Lohse vs. Ross Detwiler

Lohse looks to close down the Nats, while Detwiler aims to keep his team alive. (US Presswire)

Wednesday afternoon, the Cardinals spoiled the first postseason game played in Washington since 1933 with an utterly dominating 8-0 victory over the Nationals. The series is now 2-1 in favor of the Cardinals, so the defending champs need win only one of the next two games to eliminate the team that had the best regular-season record in baseball.

If there's a such thing as momentum, the Cardinals have all of it and then some. They have now outscored the Nationals 20-4 in the past two games.

For now, we'll focus only on Game 4 of the NLDS between these two esteemed ballclubs Thursday at 4:07 p.m. ET in Washington. Kyle Lohse (16-3, 2.86 in regular season) will look to close things down for the visiting Cardinals while Ross Detwiler (10-8, 3.40) aims to keep his Nationals alive.

Detwiler vs. Cardinals

With this start coming at home, it bodes well for Detwiler. He was nearly two full runs better at home this season (2.59 home ERA, 4.38 road ERA).

He squared off against the Cardinals one time this season, and it was beyond ugly. The Cardinals lit him up for seven runs (three earned) on four hits and five walks in just 2 1/3 innings. That start also just happens to be the most recent time that Detwiler took the mound.

But it came in Busch Stadium. So, note again Detwiler's home/road splits while judging this matchup.

The Cardinals have hit .357/.526/.643 off Detwiler. No one has more than two plate appearances against him except Carlos Beltran, who is 2-for-4 with a home run and a walk.

Lohse vs. Nationals

First, Lohse is coming off a decent-to-good start against the Braves in the NL wild-card game. He worked 5 2/3 innings and allowed two earned runs on six hits.

Lohse was worse on the road in the regular season than at home. But he was 8-2 with a 3.41 ERA and 1.12 WHIP, so he was no slouch on the road by any stretch.

Against the Nationals, though, it has been a different story. Lohse made two starts, giving up 12 runs, nine earned runs (6.94 ERA) on 17 hits and 11 2/3 innings in those two starts. Both of those outings came in September; the worse of the two came in Washington on Sept. 1.

Lohse actually has a decent-sized history on several Nationals. Adam LaRoche is hitting .276/.344/.448 in 32 plate appearances, Ryan Zimmerman is hitting .308/.357/.385 in 28 plate appearances and Jayson Werth is hitting .381/.409/.952 with three doubles and three homers in 22 plate appearances. Mike Morse (.467/.467/.867 in 15 plate appearances) also hits Lohse well. Ian Desmond (.235/.235/.235 in 17 PA), doesn't.

Washington's roster has a .310/.341/.530 triple slash line with eight homers and 26 RBI in 177 plate appearances.

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