Washington @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 7, 2014 ) Washington 3, San Diego 4

The San Diego Padres have struggled most of the season on offense, but a clutch night with the bats Saturday could be the spark they needed. The Padres look to build on their comeback victory when they host the Washington Nationals on Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game series. Yonder Alonso homered with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to tie it and San Diego constructed the winning rally in the 11th inning with none on and two outs for a 4-3 triumph Saturday.

The Padres stand last in the majors in runs scored and produced only eight during a 1-4 start in June before Cameron Maybin’s deciding hit ended Washington’s four-game win streak. The Nationals have been rolling along with 44 runs during a 6-1 stretch before Saturday when they scored in only one inning. Ian Desmond took over the team lead for Washington with 35 RBIs after his two-run homer in the second game of the series.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET; MASN2 (Washington), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Jordan Zimmermann (4-2, 3.59 ERA) vs. Padres LH Eric Stults (2-6, 5.03)

Zimmerman comes in off eight scoreless innings during a 7-0 victory over Philadelphia when he allowed only five hits. The 28-year-old has yielded three or fewer earned runs in nine of 12 starts and boasts 54 strikeouts and only 14 walks in 67 2/3 innings. Alonso is 3-for-7 with a homer against Zimmerman, who is 1-2 with a 2.35 ERA in six career outings versus San Diego.

Stults returns from the bereavement to take on Washington for the second time this season after yielding two runs in 5 1/3 innings on April 24 without getting a decision. The Indiana native has gone four games without a victory and completed more than six innings only once in 12 starts. Danny Espinosa is 2-for-6 with a homer against Stults, who is 1-0 in two outings versus Washington.

WALK-OFFS

1. Washington 3B-2B Anthony Rendon, who is second on the team with 34 RBIs, missed Saturday’s game due to a sore right hand.

2. San Diego 3B Chase Headley snapped out of a 3-for-28 slump with a pair of hits and scored the winning run Saturday.

3. The Nationals are 27-2 when they score four runs or more and 4-27 when recording three or fewer.

PREDICTION: Nationals 6, Padres 2