Los Angeles @ Washington preview
Nationals Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 29, 2011 ) Washington 0, LA Angels 1
The Washington Nationals have made a habit of stubbing their toe this season, but it was the Los Angeles Angels’ sloppiness their last time out that kept them from winning a series. The Nationals, who host the Angels for the first of three interleague games on Monday, lead the majors with 20 errors and committed four during a four-game split with the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend. They were mistake-free in Sunday’s 3-2 victory, however, winning despite leaving 17 runners on base.
Washington, which is in the midst of an 11-game homestand, will face Los Angeles for the first time since the Angels swept them in 2011. Los Angeles enters this contest on a two-game slide after it tallied four errors that led to both runs in Sunday’s 2-1 setback versus the Detroit Tigers, including three throwing errors on a stolen base attempt and an errant pickoff throw by catcher Hank Conger on a pitchout. The loss was the Angels’ fifth in their last eight games, four of which have been decided by one run.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Garrett Richards (2-0, 2.84 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Tanner Roark (1-0, 5.29)
Despite getting tagged for five runs and eight hits over seven frames in Tuesday’s 10-9 loss to the Oakland Athletics, Richards was still in line for the win until reliever Joe Smith surrendered four runs without recording an out in the eighth inning. The outing was the first poor one in three tries for the University of Oklahoma alum, who held his first two opponents to a total of one run and four hits over 12 innings on the road. Richards has never faced Washington, but is 1-0 with a 1.27 ERA in 10 interleague appearances (three starts).
Roark took his third consecutive turn on the road on Wednesday, settling for a no-decision for the second straight time in the Nationals’ 6-3 victory over the Miami Marlins. The 27-year-old allowed three runs on seven hits over a season-high 6 1/3 innings, but has been almost untouchable in his brief career at home, going 3-0 with a 0.47 ERA in seven all-time appearances (one start). Roark’s only interleague action came against the Kansas City Royals last August, when he yielded one hit over 4 2/3 innings in relief to get the win.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles CF Mike Trout is 0-for-7 over his last two games after going 14-for-33 in his previous seven.
2. After hitting 14-for-29 during an eight-game hitting streak, Washington LF Bryce Harper is 2-for-15 in four contests since.
3. The Angels will play in the nation's capital for only the second time since 1971.
PREDICTION: Nationals 5, Angels 4