Washington @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 2, 2016 ) Washington 10, Arizona 4

Bryce Harper is experiencing a terrible stretch and the Washington Nationals hope the right fielder will return to the lineup on Wednesday, when they conclude a three-game series against the host Arizona Diamondbacks. Harper, who is batting just .123 over his last 19 games, was scratched an hour before Tuesday's 10-4 victory due to an illness.

Harper won National League MVP honors last season and hit nine homers in April before beginning a slide that has lasted three months. He last recorded a multi-hit performance on July 7 as his season average has dropped to .235 while his slugging percentage is a pedestrian .443 after he posted a major league-leading .649 mark last year. The Nationals, who own a six-game lead in the NL East, have scored 24 runs while routing Arizona in each of the first two games of the series while the struggling Diamondbacks, who have been outscored 38-8 in their last three contests, have dropped 11 of their past 14 games. Arizona is a woeful 17-37 at home and has allowed 84 runs its last 10 games at Chase Field.

TV: 3:40 p.m. ET, MLB Network, MASN (Washington), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Max Scherzer (11-6, 2.85 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Zack Godley (3-1, 5.63)

Scherzer is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three career starts against the Diamondbacks, the team for which he pitched from 2008-09. He has been on a roll over his last six outings, compiling a 1.09 ERA with 49 strikeouts against nine walks. Scherzer is 7-4 with a 2.92 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 13 road turns this season.

Godley is in the rotation with Zack Greinke (oblique) on the disabled list, and the results haven't been good despite a 2-1 mark over a four-start span. He has compiled a 6.23 ERA during the stretch while allowing 28 hits and has lasted six innings just once. Godley posted a victory in his lone career start against Washington on Aug. 3, when he scattered three hits over six scoreless innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Nationals C Wilson Ramos, who ranks second in the NL with a .331 average, hit a three-run homer on Tuesday to match his career best of 16 set in 2013.

2. Arizona CF A.J. Pollock (elbow) faced live pitching on Tuesday for the first time since being injured on April 1 and likely will start playing in the Arizona Rookie League within the next week.

3. Washington 2B Daniel Murphy has gone 5-for-8 with four runs scored and three RBIs in the series to raise his NL-leading average to .356.

PREDICTION: Nationals 13, Diamondbacks 2