WASHINGTON -- It was clear going into this season that starting pitching would be a strength for the Washington Nationals, who won the National League East division in 2012 and 2014.In the midst of an even-numbered year, what may be a surprise is that the Nationals have become a Murderers Row of sorts on the offensive side of the equation.The Nationals enter Saturday nights game with the last-place Cincinnati Reds -- who have a 5.45 team ERA and a battered bullpen -- with an NL-most 107 home runs this season.The challenge of trying to shut down the Nationals on Saturday will fall on right-hander Dan Straily, who is 4-5 with a 4.38 ERA this season in 17 games (14 starts).One of the reasons I think he is capable of being successful is because his arsenal is complete even when he is behind in the count and that is a difference maker, Reds manager Bryan Price said. He has had stretches, recently, where he has lost command of the strike zone.Straily, in his only appearance against the Nationals, gave up two runs and two hits in seven innings and did not figure in the decision as the Reds won 6-3 on June 4 in Cincinnati.He made his big league debut in 2012 with the Oakland Athletics.He will oppose Joe Ross (7-4, 3.30), who did not pitch when the Nationals played in Cincinnati a few weeks ago. Ross, called up to the majors in June 2015, has never faced the Reds.While Ross pitches Saturday, the starter for the Nationals on Sunday is up in the air. It could be Stephen Strasburg (10-0) if he comes off the disabled list or rookie Lucas Giolito (0-0), who made his big league debut Tuesday.I talked to Strasburg yesterday and he said hes feeling pretty good. Hes expecting to take it, but we will see, manager Dusty Baker said Friday.Washington receives pop from throughout the lineup as shortstop Danny Espinosa hit two home runs and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman hit one in a 13-4 thrashing of the Reds on Thursday.They have some components that are good, with one of them being Espinosa hitting eighth with 15 home runs, Price said Friday.The Espinosa two-homer game came one night after second baseman Daniel Murphy hit two homers against his former team, the New York Mets.The Nationals have six players with at least 10 homers: right fielder Bryce Harper (16), Espinosa (15), Murphy (14), catcher Wilson Ramos (12), Zimmerman (11) and left fielder Jayson Werth (10).Murphy has already tied a career-high for homers in a season, set last year when he was with the New York Mets. Ramos got the night off Friday as Jose Lobaton made the start at catcher though Ramos did enter the game as a pinch-hitter.In order to keep Ramos productive, we have to give him days off, Baker said.The Nationals hit .276 as a team in June with a .346 on-base average and a .465 slugging mark. Washington scored 149 runs in the month (5.5 per game) and gave up 112.The Washington pitching staff has allowed just 77 homers while the Reds pitchers have given up 137.The Nationals are at the halfway point of the season after they played game 81 on Friday against the Reds. They are in the midst of a 10-game homestand -- the first of more than seven games this season. Roy Oswalt Jersey . However, he did make them miss him a little less. Cundiff, who had the unenviable job of replacing Dawson last season, agreed Thursday to a one-year, $1. Jimmy Wynn Jersey . -- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Alrdridge were again the go-to duo for the Trail Blazers against the Kings. http://www.baseballastrosproshop.com/jose-altuve-astros-jersey/ . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Jose Cruz Jr. Jersey . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. Roberto Osuna Astros Jersey . He says so-called TRT is only one problem and he wants to go even further than the ban. "Its about time," St-Pierre told reporters at a promotional event in Montreal on Friday. "I think its a good thing. The Los Angeles Rams hope a change of coasts and a slumping opponent will change their fortunes Sunday when they travel to face the New York Jets (1 p.m. ET, FOX).After a 3-1 start put them on top of the NFC West, the Rams (3-5) are riding a four-game losing streak.The Jets (3-6) are last in the AFC East, and there are rumors of discipline issues leaking from inside the teams facilities.Both the Rams and the Jets need a victory this weekend. The winner may be able to salvage its record. The loser simply will be digging the hole deeper on what would be a lost season.Both franchises have issues at the quarterback position. Both teams stuck with journeymen veterans instead of turning the reins over to younger players who were high draft picks.The Jets re-signed quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to a free agent contact after the well-traveled Harvard product had a career year for the team in 2015. Fitzpatrick has not produced close to those same statistics in 2016 and already was benched once this season.Quarterback Geno Smith replaced Fitzpatrick for a start but got injured. The Jets also have young QBs Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg waiting in the wings.Fitzpatrick missed a series in a loss to the Miami Dolphins last week due to a knee sprain, and is listed as questionable to play against the Rams.Petty looked solid in his stead, and that at least has coach Todd Bowles thinking about making a switch.If (Fitzpatrick) misses a significant amount of (practice) time, then Bryce will play (this week), Bowles said.The coach termed Fitzpatrick as a game-time decision on Friday. Fitzpatrick, who was limited in practice all three days this week, threw two costly interceptions against Dolphins, giving him 13 picks against just eight touchdown passes this season, so many Jets fans are hoping to get an extended look at Petty.The Rams drafted quarterback Jared Goff first overall in this years draft, only to have him sit and watch Case Keenum play below average. Even with a Los Angeles fan base booing during last weeks loss to the Carolina Panthers, coach Jeff Fisher continues to hedge on making a change.Case is starting. Jared is improving, Fisher said. I keep saying that as you gguys keep asking the questions, hes improving.dddddddddddd But for right now, Case is starting, and were going to New York. But, Case right now, especially against this (Jets) defense, gives us our best chance. Its an extremely complicated defense, and they can pressure the quarterback, they can do anything they want to do. Theyre very, very talented. Our focus is this week against the Jets, and Case will be under center.The New York defense that Fisher raves about is in disarray due to discipline problems.Two of the stars of the unit, defensive ends Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson, were benched to start the Dolphins game for being late or missing team meetings. Bowles called the benching of the two starters a coachs decision, but both players acknolwedged the reports were true.Despite the issues and the praise Fisher heaps on the unit, the Jets defense is struggling. New York ranks 26th in the NFL in points allowed at 26.1 a game.The Jets pass defense is not playing well, and cornerback Darrelle Revis looks like a shell of his old self. New York is 22nd in the NFL in passing yards allowed per game at 272.2 per contest. The secondary has given up over 300 yards passing in four games this season. One solace for the unit is that Keenum has only one 300-plus-yard passing game this year.The Rams running attack was supposed to be dominant thanks to second-year player Todd Gurley. That has not come to fruition, and the ground game actually has regressed. Gurley has no 100-yard rushing games this season. Do not look for that trend to be broken against the Jets. Even with Wilkerson and Richardson missing time, the Jets are fourth in the NFL in run defense, allowing only 81 yards on the ground.Los Angeles ranks 31st in total offense.(Three) weeks ago, we were one of the top offenses, Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin said. The last two weeks, we kind of fell a little short. Now theyre saying were the worst. It really doesnt make a difference to us. These last eight games, were going to come out week by week and try to go as hard as we can. ' ' '