Washington @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 17, 2016 ) Washington 7, San Diego 5

Washington right-hander Max Scherzer has been brilliant in June and looks to post his fourth consecutive victory when the Nationals visit the San Diego Padres on Saturday in the third contest of a four-game set. Scherzer has allowed just 12 hits while compiling a 1.23 ERA in the three starts and has struck out 28 against just three walks.

Scherzer is tied for second in the majors with 118 strikeouts and has fanned 10 or more on four occasions this season, including his record-tying 20 outing against Detroit on May 11. The Nationals scored 15 runs while winning the first two games of the series and have won 10 of their past 12 games. Washington second baseman Daniel Murphy went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs in Friday's 7-5 victory to raise his major league-leading batting average to .361. San Diego has dropped six of its last seven games and has seen third baseman Yangervis Solarte fall into a deep slump — he's hitless in 10 at-bats in this series and 1-for-28 over his last nine contests.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, MASN (Washington), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Max Scherzer (8-4, 3.40 ERA) vs. Padres RH Colin Rea (3-3, 5.37)

Scherzer is limiting opposing batters to a .203 average but has served up 17 homers, the most in the National League and third highest in the majors. A homer accounted for the lone run off him in his last outing when he struck out 11 and allowed two hits in seven innings while beating the Chicago Cubs. Scherzer is 2-2 with a 2.75 ERA in six career starts against the Padres and has dominated Matt Kemp (1-for-24) and Alexei Ramirez (8-for-58).

Rea has gone six straight starts without a victory and is coming off his poorest outing of the season. The 25-year-old gave up eight runs (six earned) and nine hits in 2 2/3 innings against the Miami Marlins, marking the third time he has allowed five or more earned runs this season. Rea has struggled at pitcher-friendly Petco Park by going 2-2 with a 5.52 ERA in nine appearances (eight starts) this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Nationals 1B Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-run home run Friday — one of only three hits in 26 at-bats over his past seven games.

2. Kemp is 3-for-7 with three RBIs in the series and is batting .354 in June.

3. Washington LF Jayson Werth has recorded three consecutive two-hit games and is 16-for-38 with 10 RBIs over his past 10 contests.

PREDICTION: Nationals 4, Padres 0