(Sports Network) - A pair of teams that have gotten their 2008 seasons off to good starts begin a three-game series tonight at St. Louis' Busch Stadium, where the Cardinals continue a week-long homestand with a visit from the upstart Washington Nationals.

Washington, a team which went just 73-89 in 2007, ripped off three straight victories to begin this season before falling in extra innings to Philadelphia on Thursday. The Cardinals are fresh off taking two of three games at home from the defending National League champion Colorado Rockies.

The Nationals nearly entered this set with a still-unbeaten record, but the club couldn't hold onto an early five-run lead in yesterday's 8-7, 10-inning defeat to the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The game's winning run came when Washington reliever Jesus Colome walked Jayson Werth with one out and the bases loaded.

Cristian Guzman, Lastings Milledge and Jesus Flores each collected three hits for Washington, which is seeking its first 4-1 start since 2001, when the franchise was still located in Montreal. Guzman and Flores also knocked in a run in the loss, while Ronnie Belliard delivered a two-RBI double during a five-run first inning for the Nats.

Washington starter Jason Bergmann did not factor in the decision after yielding five runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. He did record six strikeouts while walking just one batter.

St. Louis got a much better showing from its starting pitcher on Thursday, as Brad Thompson tossed 6 2/3 excellent innings in his season debut to lead the Cardinals to a 3-0 decision over the Rockies in the rubber match of the teams' season-opening series.

Thompson scattered six hits and a pair of walks while striking out six batters before three St. Louis relievers finished off the shutout. Jason Isringhausen held Colorado scoreless in the ninth to notch his first save of the campaign.

Thompson also helped his cause at the plate with an RBI single in the fifth inning that accounted for the Cardinals' final run.

Albert Pujols went 2-for-4 with a run scored in the win and finished the series with five hits in 10 at-bats along with three walks.

Braden Looper will follow Thompson in the St. Louis rotation and makes his first start of 2008 in tonight's opener.

The converted reliever was 12-12 with a 4.94 earned run average last season, Looper's first as a starter, but noticeably wore down late in the year. The right-hander went 3-1 with a 1.94 ERA during the month of April, but had a 6.35 ERA in six appearances during the season's final month.

Looper has faced the Washington/Montreal franchise 58 times previously -- all in relief -- and is 3-3 with a 2.64 ERA in 21 saves lifetime against the Nationals/Expos.

Washington counters tonight with veteran Odalis Perez, who looked sharp in his season debut this past Sunday. The left-hander limited the Atlanta Braves to a run on four hits and a walk in five innings of work, although he did not factor in the decision of a 3-2 Nationals' win.

Perez, who compiled a disappointing 8-11 mark and a 5.57 ERA in 26 starts with Kansas City last season, is 3-4 with an ugly 8.66 ERA in 11 career appearances (8 starts) against St. Louis. He split a pair of decisions versus the Cardinals last year despite surrendering 10 runs (9 earned) and 16 hits over a combined nine innings.

Washington has won six of its last seven encounters with the Cardinals, including the last four matchups, and took two of three tilts in their lone visit to St. Louis in 2007.