Washington @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 24, 2013 ) St. Louis 4, Washington 2

The Washington Nationals are on the verge of playoff elimination as they begin a three-game series against the host St. Louis Cardinals on Monday. Washington split a Sunday doubleheader with the Miami Marlins and is five games behind Pittsburgh and Cincinnati for a National League wild-card spot with six contests remaining. St. Louis clinched a postseason berth when the Nationals lost and holds a two-game lead over the Pirates and Reds in the NL Central.

Washington is well aware it can’t afford even one more loss with its playoff hopes firmly on life support. “I’m not very good at math, but I’m good enough to figure out that losing makes it tougher,” Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman said. “But we’ve just got to keep playing and see what happens.” The Cardinals are 1 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Braves for the NL’s top record.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Tanner Roark (7-0, 1.08 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (17-9, 2.98)

Roark has been superb while winning his first three major-league starts. He blanked Atlanta on two hits over seven innings in his last turn and has given up two runs and 12 hits in 19 frames over his three starting assignments. Roark has struck out 32 in 42 1/3 innings and sports a solid 0.84 WHIP.

Wainwright is 2-0 over his last three outings while allowing four runs in 22 2/3 innings. He beat Colorado in his last turn, when he gave up three runs and 10 hits in 7 2/3 frames. Wainwright defeated the Nationals back on April 23, when he struck out nine and allowed five hits over 8 1/3 scoreless innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. St. Louis OF Matt Holliday (back) missed Sunday’s game but expects to be in the lineup against Washington.

2. Nationals OF Bryce Harper is 5-for-8 with two doubles versus Wainwright.

3. Cardinals 2B Matt Carpenter went 2-for-4 with a homer on Sunday and is four hits away from becoming the first St. Louis player with 200 since Albert Pujols in 2003.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 3, Nationals 1