Miami @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( May 13, 2016 ) Miami 3, Washington 5

With the possible exception of teammate Max Scherzer, who tossed a 20-strikeout gem on Wednesday, no pitcher in baseball enjoyed a better week than Washington Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg. The former No. 1 overall draft pick will make his first start since signing a seven-year, $175 million contract extension in Game 1 of Saturday's day-night doubleheader versus the visiting Miami Marlins.

Strasburg is 5-0 on the season, including an overpowering win at Miami on April 19 that boosted his career mark against the Marlins to 11-7 -- his highest victory total against any opponent. Left-hander Tanner Roark will go in the nightcap for the Nationals, who received a tiebreaking two-run blast from Bryce Harper and a pair of pinch-hit homers in Friday's series-opening 5-3 victory. Miami will counter with left-hander Justin Nicolino and righty Kendry Flores, whose only career start came in 2015. All three Washington homers came against the bullpen of the Marlins, who lost for only the fifth time in 18 games and dropped to 10-6 on the road.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins LH Justin Nicolino (2-0, 2.79 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (5-0, 2.76)

Although he has twice as many walks (six) as strikeouts (three), Nicolino has permitted only six earned runs over 19 1/3 innings spanning his first three starts. The 24-year-old Florida native did not factor in the decision versus Philadelphia on Sunday after giving up three runs (two earned) over six innings. Nicolino has excelled away from home with a 5-1 record and 2.70 ERA in seven road starts, but he was pounded for seven runs at Washington in the lone loss.

Strasburg struck out 11 over seven innings but was victimized by a pair of two-run homers in a no-decision against the Detroit Tigers on Monday. It was the third double-digit strikeout game of the season for Strasburg, who fanned 10 over eight scoreless innings of three-hit against the Marlins last month. Strasburg has had his struggles against Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who is 14-for-35 with three homers, 10 RBIs and 12 strikeouts against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Nationals OF Chris Heisey's third pinch-hit homer gave the Nationals six for the season -- one more than the team had in 2015.

2. Marlins CF Marcell Ozuna has hit safely in 12 consecutive games.

3. Nationals RHP Jonathan Papelbon earned his 359th career save Friday to move into 10th place on the all-time list.

PREDICTION: Nationals 4, Marlins 3