New York @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( May 24, 2016 ) NY Mets 4, Washington 7

The Washington Nationals assured that they would finish out the current series in first place in the National League East with a victory on Tuesday but could stand to put some more distance between themselves and the New York Mets. The Nationals, who own a 1 1/2-game lead in the division, host the Mets in the rubber match of the three-game series on Wednesday.

New York breezed to a 7-1 victory in Monday’s opener to tighten the gap to a half-game but Washington responded by knocking around struggling Mets ace Matt Harvey en route to a 7-4 victory on Tuesday. The Nationals pounded out five home runs in the win – one each from Ryan Zimmerman, Anthony Rendon, Daniel Murphy, Ben Revere and Wilson Ramos – to back a strong outing from Stephen Strasburg. Murphy, who was one of New York’s October heroes during a run to the World Series last fall before signing with rival Washington in free agency, is 8-for-19 with six RBIs in five games against his former team this season. The Mets had a four-game winning streak come to an end with Tuesday’s setback.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SNY (New York), MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Steven Matz (6-1, 2.81 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Tanner Roark (3-3, 2.89)

Matz had to skip a start due to elbow soreness but did not appear to be struggling with any injury when he returned on Friday and cruised through seven innings while allowing two runs and three hits in a win over Milwaukee. The New York native yielded a total of six runs in 40 innings over his last six turns -- all victories -- and recorded 42 strikeouts in that span. Matz is making his first career start against Washington and is 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA on the road.

Roark allowed seven runs in five innings against Miami on May 14 but was a different pitcher at the Marlins five days later. The Illinois product surrendered one run and six hits over 6 2/3 innings to pick up the win. Roark has never lost to New York and owns a 5-0 record with a 3.05 ERA in 11 career games – six starts – against the Mets.

WALK-OFFS

1. Nationals RF Bryce Harper is 0-for-9 in the last three games.

2. New York LF Yoenis Cespedes is 11-for-25 with eight runs scored during a seven-game hitting streak.

3. Revere recorded multiple hits in four of his last five games to lift his batting average to .194.

PREDICTION: Mets 4, Nationals 2