Milwaukee @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 26, 2016 ) Washington 3, Milwaukee 2

Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer gets a chance to avenge his only loss in his last six starts when he takes the mound Monday morning in the opener of a three-game series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers. The Nationals have won seven of their last eight and hold a five-game lead atop the National League East.

Scherzer has registered double-digit strikeouts in each of his last four starts to take over the major-league lead with 148 and remains on pace to eclipse his career-high total of 276 from last season. Washington reached 50 wins on the season with a 12-1 drubbing of Cincinnati on Sunday, hitting a season-high six homers and getting 6 2/3 no-hit innings from Stephen Strasburg. Shortstop Danny Espinosa went 4-for-5 with a pair of homers, including a grand slam, to finish 7-for-18 with five homers and 15 RBIs in the four-game set. The Brewers took two of three from the Nationals last weekend in Milwaukee, but have gone backward since and are mired in a four-game slide.

TV: 11:05 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Júnior Guerra (5-1, 3.25 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Max Scherzer (9-5, 3.30)

Guerra turned in the best start of his brief major-league career last time out against the Los Angeles Dodgers, blanking them on two hits over a season-high eight innings. The 31-year-old Venezuelan ended a five-start winless drought in his previous turn by tossing seven innings of two-run ball at Oakland. That was the first road victory for Guerra, who is holding the opposition to a .212 batting average.

Scherzer is coming off an overpowering performance against the New York Mets, striking out 10 while allowing two hits over 7 1/3 scoreless innings. Scherzer went 4-1 in six starts last month, permitting two runs or fewer in five of the outings while racking up 58 strikeouts in 41 1/3 innings. His only loss in that span, however, came at Milwaukee on June 24, when he was tagged for five runs and two homers in six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Nationals RF Bryce Harper, who hit his 17th homer, has multiple hits in four of his last six games.

2. Brewers LF Ryan Braun has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games, going 23-for-57 to raise his batting average to .328.

3. The Nationals placed RHP Joe Ross on the 15-day disabled list Sunday due to right shoulder inflammation.

PREDICTION: Nationals 4, Brewers 2