New York @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 6, 2014 ) NY Mets 1, Washington 7

Jacob deGrom attempts to win his sixth consecutive start when the New York Mets close a three-game series against the host Washington Nationals on Thursday afternoon. The rookie has allowed just four runs during his five-start winning streak while establishing himself as a bona fide major-league talent. The division rivals have split the first two games after Washington's Adam LaRoche homered twice and drove in three runs in Wednesday’s 7-1 victory.

LaRoche’s 23rd career multi-homer performance helped the Nationals increase their lead over Atlanta in the National League East to four games. Danny Espinosa added a three-run blast while starting at second base over recent acquisition Asdrubal Cabrera as Washington improved to 6-2 against New York this season. Mets All-Star Daniel Murphy is 20-for-45 over his last 11 games and also has fared well against Thursday starter Jordan Zimmermann, going 13-for-41 with three homers, four doubles and seven RBIs.

TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), MASN, WUSA 9 (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Jacob deGrom (6-5, 2.77 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Jordan Zimmermann (7-5, 3.00)

The 26-year-old deGrom continued his strong stretch by allowing two runs and four hits in 7 1/3 innings against San Francisco on Saturday. He has given up five or fewer hits in each of his last four starts and has 37 strikeouts against six walks during his winning streak. DeGrom is 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA in five day starts.

Zimmermann scattered five hits over seven scoreless innings to beat Philadelphia in his last turn for his first victory since June 30. He has issued just three walks over his last six starts and has walked only 21 in 132 frames this season. Zimmermann is 5-5 with a 3.29 ERA in 17 career starts against the Mets, including a victory on May 18 in which he gave up three runs and eight hits in six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Washington CF Denard Span has reached base in each of his last 32 games after going 1-for-4 on Wednesday.

2. New York 3B David Wright is 11-for-36 with two homers against Zimmermann.

3. LaRoche is 4-for-6 with two walks in the first two games of the series.

PREDICTION: Mets 4, Nationals 2