Washington @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( May 17, 2013 ) Washington 6, San Diego 5

After homering three times in his first 36 games, the Washington Nationals' Adam LaRoche has launched four in the last three games. The streaky first baseman carries a 14-game hitting streak into Saturday’s matchup with the host San Diego Padres, who have lost five of their last seven. La Roche homered twice in the Nationals’ 6-5, 10-inning victory Friday, Washington’s eighth victory in its last 10 meetings against the Padres.

The Padres forced extra innings with two runs in the ninth before closer Huston Street gave up a pinch-hit homer to Chad Tracy in the 10th. The home run marked the sixth allowed by Street in 17 1/3 innings this season, but manager Bud Black backed his closer after the game. Left fielder Carlos Quentin, who has missed the last two games because of the birth of his first child, is expected back for Saturday’s contest. Quentin has struggled this season with a .181 average and four home runs.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, MASN, WUSA (Washington), Fox Sports San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Jordan Zimmermann (7-1, 1.69 ERA) vs. Padres LH Eric Stults (3-3, 4.57)

Stephen Strasburg draws all the buzz, but Zimmermann is the Nationals’ leading contender for the Cy Young Award. The 26-year-old right-hander is riding a four-start winning streak with a 0.95 ERA along with 24 strikeouts and five walks over that span. Zimmermann, who is tied for the major-league lead with seven wins, owns a 0.69 ERA in two career starts at Petco Park. He has allowed three runs or fewer in each of his eight outings.

After working into the seventh inning in each of his previous two starts, Stults gave up three runs over 5 1/3 innings in a loss at Tampa Bay on Sunday. His five walks matched the total from his previous three outings combined. The 33-year-old Stults, who is making his first appearance against Washington, is 1-1 with a 5.87 ERA in three starts at Petco Park this season and 5-2 in his career at Petco Park with a 4.11 ERA in 10 starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Washington LHP Ross Detwiler (back spasms) will miss his start Monday and could require a stint on the disabled list.

2. The Padres are 15-7 in the 22 games Stults has started since joining the team last season.

3. LaRoche owns a .331 career batting average with 10 homers and 28 RBIs in 124 at-bats at Petco Park.

PREDICTION: Nationals 6, Padres 1