(Sports Network) - Skidding Washington southpaw John Lannan takes the mound tonight against a team to which he's never lost - Cincinnati - in the initial game of a four-game series between the Nationals and Reds at Great American Ball Park.

Lannan defeated the Reds in his lone start against them in 2007, allowing five hits and two runs, with two walks and a strikeout, in 5 2/3 innings of work.

He's struggled with misfortune in 2008 after a 4-4 start, however, going 0-5 in his last seven starts, though he's allowed no more than two earned runs and pitched at least six innings in five of the seven games.

In those seven games, all Washington losses, the Nationals have scored just 11 runs.

On the road this year, the 23-year-old Siena College product is 3-4 with a 2.33 earned run average in nine starts.

The Reds counter with another youngster, right-hander Johnny Cueto.

The 22-year-old rookie Dominican has been up and down since a scintillating start, during which he allowed just three runs, walked none and struck out 18 over 13 1/3 innings.

He subsequently lost five of six decisions, won three straight and lost three straight before defeating the Cleveland Indians, 5-0, in his most recent outing on June 28.

In that game, Cueto pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings and scattered five hits, walked three and struck out two while lowering his ERA from 5.01 to 4.68.

He has never faced the Nationals.

On Wednesday in Miami, Alfredo Amezaga blasted a two-run go-ahead homer in the seventh inning for the Florida Marlins in a 4-2 victory over the Nationals to take the rain-soaked rubber match of a three-game series.

Odalis Perez began with three perfect innings for the Nationals and lasted 6 2/3 innings before a 95-minute rain delay. He gave up two runs on five hits while striking out three for Washington, which has lost three of its last five.

Charlie Manning (0-2) suffered the loss allowing one run and two hits including Amezaga's homer without recording an out.

In Cincinnati, Xavier Nady belted a pair of home runs and finished with three hits and three RBI to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Reds, 9-5, in the rubber match of their three-game set.

Jay Bruce blasted two homers and collected four RBI for the Reds, who have dropped two straight on the heels of a three-game win streak.

Right-hander Daryl Thompson (0-2) suffered the defeat in the third start of his major-league career. Thompson surrendered seven runs on eight hits with one walk and two strikeouts in just 4 1/3 innings.

Washington took six of seven from the Reds last season.