Los Angeles @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 6, 2019 ) LA Dodgers 10, Washington 4

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ offense came alive at just the right moment and gave the team a chance to move one step closer to its ultimate goal when it visits the Washington Nationals on Monday for Game 4 of their National League Division Series. The Dodgers scored seven times with two outs in the sixth inning on Sunday en route to a 10-4 victory that gave them a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.

Cody Bellinger recorded his first two hits of the series in the sixth inning while Russell Martin lined a two-run double and Justin Turner launched a three-run homer during the uprising for Los Angeles, which had scored three runs in its previous 14 frames. Rich Hill gets his first start of the postseason as the Dodgers try to reach the NL Championship Series for the fourth straight year, while Washington has its two aces lined up for what it hopes will be the final two contests of the series, starting with Max Scherzer in Game 4 and potentially Stephen Strasburg for a showdown in Los Angeles. The Nationals registered six hits in Sunday’s setback, including Juan Soto’s two-run homer in the first inning that held up until they went to the bullpen in the sixth - and were one strike away from getting out of the frame with a lead. Washington center fielder Victor Robles missed Sunday's contest with a hamstring injury and is questionable to return for Game 4.

TV: 6:40 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Rich Hill (4-1, 2.45 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Max Scherzer (0-0, 4.50)

Hill gave up one run on one hit and six walks with 11 strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings in three outings in September after missing almost three months with a forearm strain. The 39-year-old native of Boston is 1-2 with a 3.04 ERA in 12 career postseason appearances (11 starts), with all but one occurring with the Dodgers. Ryan Zimmerman is 6-for-11 with two homers and a double in his career versus Hill, who gave up three runs over five frames in a loss to the Nationals on May 9.

Manager Dave Martinez decided to pull back Scherzer from Game 3, giving the three-time Cy Young Award winner an extra day after striking out the side in one inning of Game 2 on Friday. The 35-year-old also started the wild-card game on Tuesday and was reached for three runs and four hits - two homers - over five frames. Max Muncy is 3-for-9 with a homer against Scherzer, who won at Los Angeles in May and is 4-5 with a 3.78 ERA in 18 career playoff games (14 starts).

WALK-OFFS

1. Muncy homered in the fifth inning on Sunday and is 4-for-10 with two blasts and five RBIs in the series.

2. Washington SS Trea Turner went 0-for-3 with a walk in Game 3 to end his 15-game hitting streak, which included the final 12 contests of the regular season.

3. Martin also belted a two-run homer in the ninth inning on Sunday while playing in his first game of the series.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 5, Nationals 3