Washington @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 15, 2012 ) Washington 6, San Francisco 4

The Washington Nationals will look to continue their recent success against the San Francisco Giants when the teams begin a three-game series on Monday at AT&T Park. Washington won five of six meetings and outscored the Giants 45-24 last season. San Francisco is happy to be home after going 1-5 on a road trip that included uncharacteristically ugly losses in Toronto and Colorado. The Giants’ starting pitchers went 0-5 with a 9.82 ERA during the trip.

Washington is hoping to get Bryce Harper back for the series opener after he missed the previous two games with a sore left knee, and right fielder Jayson Werth (hamstring) is expected to return this Friday after playing in several minor-league rehab games. The Nationals split a four-game series at San Diego over the weekend and fell to 3-4 on a 10-day road trip. “We have too much talent to keep playing this mediocre,” Nationals pitcher Dan Haren told reporters.

TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Washington), Comcast SportsNet-Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals LH Zach Duke (0-0, 8.40 ERA) vs. Giants RH Ryan Vogelsong (1-4, 8.06)

Duke takes the mound in place of Ross Detwiler, who will miss at least one start with a right oblique strain. The 30-year-old Duke is making his first start since July 10, 2011, when he was pitching for Arizona. Pablo Sandoval is 2-for-15 against Duke, who has thrown 15 innings this season as a reliever. Duke owns a 3.79 ERA in 10 career games (eight starts) against the Giants, and he’s 1-0 with a 1.08 ERA in four games (three starts) at AT&T Park.

Vogelsong’s season-long struggles continued at Toronto last Wednesday, when he gave up eight runs (three earned) in two innings in his shortest outing since 2004. He is 0-3 with an 11.81 ERA in his last four starts and has not recorded a victory since April 11, but manager Bruce Bochy is sticking with the veteran right-hander. "This guy has done a lot,” Bochy told reporters. “He’s earned some things, including a longer leash.”

WALK-OFFS

1. The Giants committed 13 errors and allowed 10 unearned runs during their six-game road trip.

2. Nationals 1B Adam LaRoche had an RBI single on Sunday to extend his hitting streak to a career-long 16 games.

3. Giants CF Angel Pagan left Sunday’s game in the fifth inning because of flu symptoms and is listed as day-to-day.

PREDICTION: Nationals 6, Giants 5