Miami @ Washington preview
Nationals Park
Last Meeting ( May 27, 2014 ) Miami 0, Washington 0
Close calls have taken their toll on the Washington Nationals, who have lost five of six — four of them by a single run — heading into Wednesday's series finale with the visiting Miami Marlins. The Nationals are 6-11 in one-run contests this season, a mark that includes a 3-2 loss in the series opener. The Marlins have lost five of seven to the Nationals this season and 12 of the last 14 meetings in Washington, but they'll try for an abbreviated two-game sweep after Tuesday's rainout.
Miami's woes at Nationals Park have come in spite of slugger Giancarlo Stanton's success there — he has 14 home runs in 34 career games at Washington, including a go-ahead blast in Monday's win. Marlins right-hander Henderson Alvarez will face the Nationals for the second time this season; he took a tough-luck loss on April 8, allowing three runs — one earned — over 5 2/3 innings. Nationals right-hander Jordan Zimmermann will make his regularly scheduled start in hopes of continuing his success against Miami — he has won his last five decisions versus the Marlins.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Henderson Alvarez (2-3, 3.21 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Jordan Zimmermann (3-2, 3.95)
Alvarez breezed through seven scoreless frames his last time out but didn't get a decision in Miami's 4-3 win over Philadelphia. The 24-year-old Venezuelan has struggled on the road this season, going 0-2 with a 4.88 ERA in five starts away from home. He hasn't fared any better against Washington, going 0-3 with a 3.81 ERA in five starts versus the Nationals.
Zimmermann took the loss his last time out, allowing four runs and seven hits over six innings in a 4-3 defeat at Pittsburgh. The 28-year-old has found mixed results against Miami this season — the Marlins shelled him for five runs in 1 2/3 innings on April 9, but he bounced back to beat them with seven innings of two-run ball five days later. He is 5-3 with a 3.84 ERA in 13 starts against Miami.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Nationals are 21-1 when they scored four or more runs but 4-25 when scoring three or fewer.
2. Stanton is one RBI shy of becoming the first player in Marlins history to drive in 50 runs before June 1.
3. Nationals 1B Adam LaRoche is 8-for-22 against the Marlins this season, including a two-run homer Monday, and is 5-for-11 all-time against Alvarez.
PREDICTION: Nationals 4, Marlins 3