San Diego @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 5, 2013 ) San Diego 5, Washington 8

Bryce Harper’s return was supposed to ignite the Washington Nationals' offense, but Wilson Ramos has been the one to provide the spark. The Nationals will be looking to post their third straight win since Ramos’ return when they host the struggling San Diego Padres on Saturday. The Padres have dropped seven straight and 13 of their last 17 games.

Ramos recorded five RBIs in his return on Thursday and followed that up by driving in three more in Friday’s 8-5 triumph over San Diego. The 25-year-old catcher had totaled six RBIs in 14 games before heading to the disabled list in mid-May. The Padres started to show some signs of life with home runs from Carlos Quentin and Chase Headley in the series opener.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports San Diego, MASN2 (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Jason Marquis (9-4, 3.74 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Jordan Zimmermann (12-3, 2.46)

Marquis has absorbed the loss in each of his last two starts and has not helped himself by issuing 12 walks in 10 2/3 innings over that span. The veteran right-hander has walked 60 batters in 101 innings and is on pace to blow away his career high of 80 free passes. Marquis, who pitched for the Nationals in 2010 and 2011, is 5-4 with a 3.51 ERA versus Washington.

Zimmermann has won his last three starts and got enough support to pull out the victory despite allowing four runs in six innings against Milwaukee on Monday. The 27-year-old right-hander is leading the National League in wins and is sixth in ERA. Zimmermann yielded two runs (one earned) over eight innings at San Diego on May 18 but took the loss in a 2-1 game.

WALK-OFFS

1. Harper has gone 1-for-19 in five games since his return from the disabled list. Manager Davey Johnson said Harper could be out of the lineup the next two days.

2. San Diego SS Everth Cabrera came off the DL on Friday and went 0-for-5 with a strikeout.

3. Washington is 11-10 against the NL West - the only NL division against which the Nationals own a winning record.

PREDICTION: Nationals 6, Padres 2