July 29 -- PREGAME NOTES

WASHINGTON -- The traffic is miserable, the summer weather is sweltering, and until this season, the ballpark was atrocious. But, I must confess, Washington is one of my favorite cities in the National League. The restaurants are excellent (next time you're here, try this one), the architecture is breathtaking, and for a history/politics buff, there's plenty of both to soak in.

Thus, in the spirit of Washington, we'll borrow a line from Thomas Jefferson (the former President, not the giant-headed character who I once saw take a header during the President's Race at RFK) and say that "we hold these truths to be self-evident" about the Phillies as they open a three-game series here tonight:

1. Of their remaining 57 games, 12 are against the last-place Nationals. But Washington always gives the Phillies fits. The season series is tied at 3-3, and three of the games have been decided by one run.

2. Tim Redding, who starts for the Nats tomorrow night, hasn't allowed a run in 13-1/3 innings against the Phils this season.

3. The Phillies are 10-2 against the Braves, 46-47 against everyone else. Since June 1, the Phillies are 8-1 against the Braves and 12-22 against everyone else. With only six more games left against Atlanta, the Phillies will have to improve against everyone else.

4. At 42-29, the Phillies have the best record among NL teams in night games. That bodes well, considering the Phillies play six straight nights games this week in DC and St. Louis.

5. The Phillies' last three victories have been memorable comebacks. They scored six runs in the ninth inning last Tuesday night in New York, then rallied from a six-run deficit Saturday and a five-run deficit Sunday against the Braves' beleaguered bullpen.

Here's a preview of the series that ran in today's News Journal:

PHILLIES (56-49) at NATIONALS (38-67)
Tonight, 7:10: RHP Brett Myers (3-9, 5.82) vs. RHP Collin Balester (1-2, 5.75)
Wednesday, 7:10: LHP Jamie Moyer (9-6, 3.76) vs. RHP Tim Redding (7-5, 3.98)
Thursday, 7:10: RHP Kyle Kendrick (8-5, 4.70) vs. LHP John Lannan (6-10, 3.33)
Hot: Phillies CF Shane Victorino, who admitted to Googling his name to keep tabs on trade rumors, has an eight-game hitting streak and is batting .382 with five homers and 11 RBIs over his past 13 games; Phillies C Chris Coste has five hits in seven at-bats since a 3-for-35 slump; Nationals C Wil Nieves is batting .339 with 10 RBIs in his past 19 starts; Nationals 3B Ryan Zimmerman is batting .345 in his past 15 games.
Not: Phillies 2B Chase Utley is batting .234 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in 34 games since June 13; Phillies 3B Pedro Feliz has missed the past three games with lower back tightness; Nationals SS Cristian Guzman has two hits in his last 22 at-bats and has missed the past two games with a bruised left thumb; Nationals CF Lastings Milledge is 1-for-10 since returning from the disabled list.