Philadelphia @ Washington preview
Nationals Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 9, 2013 ) Philadelphia 2, Washington 9
The Washington Nationals came alive offensively in their last time out – a feat they will try to repeat Saturday when they continue their three-game home set against the fading Philadelphia Phillies. The Nationals went 1-for-19 with runners in scoring position and scored only six runs while suffering a three-game home sweep at the hands of the Atlanta Braves earlier in the week. However, Washington went 6-for-10 in its series-opening 9-2 win over Philadelphia to snap a four-game slide.
While the Nationals enjoyed a brief reprieve from their recent struggles, the Phillies haven't been as fortunate. Philadelphia has lost seven of its last nine and 15 of 19 overall since the All-Star break, getting outscored 112-62 over that span. Although the Phillies have scored two runs or fewer in 10 of their 19 second-half contests, Chase Utley has been one of the few bright spots for the team over that stretch. He is hitting .323 with four homers and 15 RBIs.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, CSN (Philadelphia), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies LH Cliff Lee (10-5, 3.13 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Taylor Jordan (1-3, 3.76)
Despite skipping a pair of starts due to a stiff neck, Lee was handed his third straight defeat in Sunday’s 4-1 home loss to the Braves. The four-time All-Star, who gave up four runs and had eight strikeouts in his first outing since July 21, has a 1-3 record with a 5.92 ERA in four turns since the beginning of July. Lee has split a pair of decisions against Washington this season and is 6-4 with a 2.74 ERA in 10 career starts against the Nationals.
After allowing one run on two hits through five innings, Jordan surrendered three runs while only getting one more out before departing in a no-decision during Sunday’s 8-5 road loss against the Milwaukee Brewers. The right-hander could be making one of his final starts of the season as manager Davey Johnson suggested in late July that the rookie will be shut down after 20-30 more innings. Jordan took the loss on July 9 against the Phillies, permitting four runs (three earned) over 5 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. With a victory on Saturday, Philadelphia’s Charlie Manuel will become the 59th manager in major-league history to record 1,000 wins.
2. Washington is last in the majors in batting average (.220) and OPS (.643) against left-handed pitchers.
3. Nationals RF Jayson Werth, who is batting a major league-best .395 since July 1, is three hits shy of 1,000 for his career.
PREDICTION: Phillies 5, Nationals 4