Pittsburgh @ Washington preview
Nationals Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 15, 2014 ) Pittsburgh 4, Washington 5
The Pittsburgh Pirates were unable to dig out of an early hole in their series-opening loss to the Washington Nationals, but another comeback in the same game may end up meaning more in the long run. The Pirates, who continue their three-game set in Washington on Saturday, welcomed Neil Walker back to the lineup in Friday’s 5-4 loss. The second baseman -- making only his second start in the last 13 games due to lower back tightness – went 1-for-4 and scored a run out of the cleanup spot.
Getting Walker back can only help a Pittsburgh offense that leads the NL with 124 runs scored since the All-Star break, but has been without the services of four-time All-Star Andrew McCutchen since Aug. 3. The Pirates’ third straight loss left them 3 1/2 games behind National League Central-leading Milwaukee and one-half game ahead of San Francisco for the NL’s second wild-card spot. Conversely, Washington has won four in a row since losing two of three to Atlanta from Aug. 8-10, helping the Nationals establish a six-game lead over the Braves.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), WUSA 9, MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Jeff Locke (4-3, 3.98 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (6-9, 4.00)
Despite issuing a season-high four walks in five frames during Monday’s 11-6 victory over Detroit, Locke managed to win his second straight outing after yielding four runs on eight hits. The 26-year-old New Hampshire native was able to avoid giving up a homer as well after surrendering eight over his previous four outings. Locke gave up four runs (three earned) on three hits and three walks over five innings in his only other career start versus the Nationals last season, but did not factor into the decision.
Gonzalez lost his fourth consecutive start and recent struggles continued in Sunday’s 3-1 setback to the Braves as he needed 111 pitches to make it through 4 2/3 innings. The two-time All-Star, who allowed two runs and matched a season high with four walks in the loss, is 0-5 with a 5.17 ERA in his last six turns after pitching three consecutive scoreless outings from June 23-July 5. Gonzalez has fared much better in four career starts against the Pirates, going 2-0 with a 3.28 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. Eighteen of the last 23 games in this series have been decided by two runs or fewer.
2. Nationals 1B Adam LaRoche, who played 375 games with Pittsburgh from 2007-09, owns a career batting average of .352 against the Pirates – his highest mark against any NL foe.
3. Pittsburgh, which needs only one more victory this weekend to win its third straight season series over Washington, is 14-7 against the NL East in 2014.
PREDICTION: Nationals 4, Pirates 2