Miami @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 9, 2014 ) Miami 7, Washington 10

The Washington Nationals will try for a three-game sweep over visiting Miami on Thursday and it doesn't seem anything can deny them when they play the Marlins these days. Washington won for the 16th time in 21 meetings - 11 of 12 at home - when it rallied twice to defeat Miami 10-7 on Wednesday behind Jayson Werth's grand slam in the eighth inning. Bryce Harper broke out of a 4-for-25 slump with two hits, including a three-run homer which began the Nationals' climb out of a 5-0 hole.

While Harper begins to heat up, Anthony Rendon is off to a 13-for-31 start after collecting two more hits Wednesday. The Marlins have lost three in a row after winning five of their first six games, but have already served notice that they won't be a pushover in 2014 - especially on offense. Miami's Tom Koehler validated a strong spring training with a victorious season debut and will oppose Stephen Strasburg, who has more starts (14) and wins (six) against the Marlins than any other club.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Tom Koehler (1-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (0-1, 6.10)

Koehler's exhibition performance (1.50 ERA in 18 innings) earned him the No. 5 spot in the rotation and he rewarded Miami in an 8-2 victory over San Diego on Friday by allowing two runs and seven hits in six innings. The 27-year-old Bronx, N.Y., native was 1-1 with a 6.55 ERA in two starts versus Washington in 2013, including a 4-2 victory in his last outing. Ryan Zimmerman is 4-for-5 with a homer versus Koehler, while Werth, Harper and Scott Hairston have also gone deep against him.

Washington manager Matt Williams elected to keep Strasburg on his normal rest after doing the same for Jordan Zimmermann on Wednesday by moving Tanner Roark back into Friday's series opener at Atlanta. Strasburg allowed 10 runs (seven earned) and 13 hits in 10 1/3 innings in a pair of shaky starts following a 6-2 loss to Atlanta on Saturday. Strasburg must be careful with Giancarlo Stanton, who is 8-for-21 with two homers, four doubles, five RBIs and seven strikeouts against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Zimmerman went 2-for-4 and scored twice Wednesday after missing the previous two games because of an arthritic right shoulder.

2. Miami has scored 49 runs in nine games - averaging 5.4 after a major league-worst 3.2 in 2013 - and didn't score its 49th run last season until its 21st contest.

3. Washington 1B Adam LaRoche entered 2014 a career .214 hitter in March and April, but is off to a .321 start with two home runs and nine RBIs.

PREDICTION: Nationals 3, Marlins 2