Washington @ Philadelphia preview
Citizens Bank Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 17, 2013 ) Washington 4, Philadelphia 5
After struggling through a long road trip, the Philadelphia Phillies eye their sixth straight home victory Tuesday when they continue their three-game series against the Washington Nationals. The Phillies won four straight at home from June 2-5, but went 3-7 over the next 10 games away from Citizens Bank Park. Philadelphia returned home Monday and rode Ryan Howard’s hot bat early before getting a walk-off single from Domonic Brown in a 5-4 victory.
Chad Tracy’s third pinch-hit homer of the season in the ninth resulted in Jonathan Papelbon’s first blown save, but the Phillies used Brown’s two-out hit to send Washington to its third defeat in four games. Although the Nationals have won six of the last nine meetings between the National League East rivals, another victory Tuesday may prove difficult against Cliff Lee, who is 6-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his last eight starts. Washington will try to avoid its first three-game skid since dropping four straight from May 18-21.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington), WB17 (Philadelphia)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals LH Ross Detwiler (2-4, 3.02 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Cliff Lee (8-2, 2.55)
After spending nearly a month disabled list because of a strained back muscle, Detwiler settled for a no-decision in Thursday’s 5-4 road victory over the Colorado Rockies. The left-hander permitted three runs and six hits over five innings, extending his regular-season streak of allowing three earned runs or fewer in a start to 10 games. Detwiler is 2-4 with a 4.24 ERA in eight career appearances (seven starts) against Philadelphia, which was the last team to score more than three earned runs against him.
Lee continued his stellar pitching on the road in Thursday’s 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins, improving to 6-1 with a 1.88 ERA away from Citizens Bank Park in 2013. The three-time All-Star struck out six and allowed two runs on three hits over seven frames. Lee has been less spectacular at home, however, going 2-1 with a 3.82 ERA in five starts. In eight career outings against Washington, he is 5-3 with a 2.51 ERA and two shutouts.
WALK-OFFS
1. Howard ended his 16-game homerless drought in the opener and has 10 hits in his last 19 at-bats.
2. Washington has homered in a major league-high 80 consecutive series.
3. Phillies CF Ben Revere, who scored the winning run Monday, is batting 16-for-37 during an eight-game hitting streak.
PREDICTION: Phillies 3, Nationals 2