Cleveland @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 27, 2016 ) Washington 4, Cleveland 1

A possible World Series preview will take place this week when the American League Central-leading Cleveland Indians visit the National League East-leading Washington Nationals on Tuesday for the opener of a two-game interleague series. The Nationals own a comfortable lead in their division while the Indians are trying to fight off a challenge from the Detroit Tigers.

Washington has won five of six and squeezed out a series win over NL West-leading San Francisco with a 1-0 victory on Sunday. The Nationals earned the win without the aid of slumping slugger Bryce Harper, who sat out with a stiff neck after going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts on Saturday to drop his batting average to .134 since the All-Star break. Cleveland, which split a two-game set at home against Washington last month, came out of the trade deadline last Monday looking like the team to beat in the AL but spent the week losing five of seven against a pair of teams that had already thrown up the white flag on the season in the Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees. The Indians suffered a 3-2 loss at the Yankees on Sunday but can be encouraged by the strong start from Carlos Carrasco, who made it two consecutive quality starts for a rotation that has been knocked around of late.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Trevor Bauer (7-5, 4.08 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Max Scherzer (12-6, 2.87)

Bauer is winless in his last five starts and was beaten up for eight runs – seven earned – on eight hits and five walks in 2 2/3 innings against Minnesota on Wednesday. The UCLA product completed six innings once in his last six appearances and notched just one strikeout against the Twins. Bauer is making his first career appearance against Washington and is 5-2 with a 3.36 ERA in 12 road games this season.

Scherzer has not lost since July 4 and allowed three or fewer earned runs in each of his last seven turns. The Missouri product gave up a pair of home runs and was charged with three runs in eight innings at Arizona on Wednesday but limited the damage by notching 11 strikeouts while walking one. Scherzer saw plenty of Cleveland during his five seasons in Detroit and is 9-4 with a 4.42 ERA in 19 career starts against the Indians.

WALK-OFFS

1. Indians 1B Mike Napoli has six home runs and 11 RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak.

2. Nationals LF Jayson Werth has reached base safely in 38 straight games.

3. Washington C Wilson Ramos is 10-for-19 with three home runs, eight RBIs and six runs scored in his last five contests.

PREDICTION: Nationals 6, Indians 1