Miami @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( May 14, 2016 ) Miami 4, Washington 6

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: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), MASN2 (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Kendry Flores (2015: 1-2, 4.97 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Tanner Roark (2-2, 2.03)

Flores will be recalled from Triple-A New Orleans to make his season debut and second career start. The 24-year-old Dominican made seven appearances in 2015, the last of which was his lone start, when he was tagged for five runs over five innings by Philadelphia. Flores has yielded a total of nine earned runs in his six starts with New Orleans, including one on four occasions, and pitched six innings of two-run ball on May 7 in his last outing.

Roark has been a feast-or-famine pitcher for Washington, giving up at least four runs on three occasions while not allowing an earned run in his other four starts. The 29-year-old Illinois native settled for his third consecutive no-decision last time out despite holding the Chicago Cubs to one unearned run on four hits over six innings. He was pounded for five runs on at Miami last month to fall to 2-6 with a 3.88 ERA in 14 appearances versus the Marlins.

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 5, Marlins 2