(Sports Network) - The New York Yankees shoot for an eighth straight win this afternoon when they continue a three-game series with the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.

New York continued to dominate the National League East in Friday's opener, as Phil Hughes piled up a season-high nine strikeouts in the Yankees' 7-2 victory.

Curtis Granderson homered and knocked in three runs for New York, which gave manager Joe Girardi his 500th career win and improved to 7-0 versus the NL East this season.

The Yankees, who also broke Washington's season-best six-game victory surge, have won 15 of their last 18 interleague games dating back to last season.

Hughes (7-5) was charged with six hits and a run over six innings. The righty is 4-0 over his last five starts.

"(Hughes had) good command of his fastball and expanded with his breaking ball," Girardi said. "That's the key for him. He's done a good job of that, got some strikeouts when he needed to. For the most part, he executed his pitches."

Gio Gonzalez (8-3) had eight strikeouts, but surrendered five hits and three runs over six-plus innings.

Today, New York will rely on lefty Andy Pettitte, who has pitched well after ending his one-year retirement. Pettitte did not get a decision on Sunday versus the Mets, as he surrendered two earned runs in six innings. He also struck out eight.

Pettitte, who is 3-2 with a 2.81 ERA, caused a bit of a scare when he used his bare hand to snag a comebacker to the mound. He stayed in the game, though, and later X-rays showed just a bruise.

"It hurt immediately," Pettitte said. "I was like, 'Oh, no,' right when it hit my hand. I probably shouldn't have done that."

Pettitte has faced the Nats six times and is 3-1 against them with a 4.29 ERA.

Heading to the hill for the Nationals this afternoon will be flame-throwing righty Jordan Zimmerman, who is 3-5 with a 2.91 ERA. Zimmerman did not get a decision on Sunday in Boston, despite a solid effort that saw him allow three runs and seven hits in seven innings. He also struck out seven in his team's eventual 4-3 win.

"Zim pitched one hell of a ballgame and I feel bad that we didn't get the win for him," Washington manager Davey Johnson said. "It was another great ballgame. It was a strong game. In the seventh inning, he gave up two leadoff hits ... but he got us out of there with just one run. But I sure would have liked to have gotten the win for him."

This will be his first-ever start against the Yankees.

The Nationals have won four of seven meetings with the Yankees since moving the franchise from Montreal to Washington for the 2005 season.

The Sports Network