Washington @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 11, 2019 ) Washington 2, St. Louis 0

Max Scherzer has a tough act to follow when he takes the mound for the Washington Nationals on Saturday against the host St. Louis Cardinals in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series. Veteran Anibal Sanchez pitched 7 2/3 innings before allowing a hit in Washington's 2-0 victory on Friday, and now Scherzer looks to help the Nationals return home with a 2-0 series lead.

Sean Doolittle recorded the final four outs to complete the combined one-hitter while Yan Gomes and Howie Kendrick recorded RBI hits as Washington opened the best-of-seven series in impressive fashion. "When it comes down to games like this, you just want to put good at-bats together," Gomes said in a postgame television interview. "If you get a pitch to hit, you go out there and try to capitalize on it." Pinch-hitter Jose Martinez recorded St. Louis' lone hit in Game 1 as it was shut out for the second time in six postseason contests. "It's interesting, it's baseball, it's one of the reasons we love it," Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said during his postgame press conference. "We scored 13 in an elimination game (to defeat Atlanta) and came right back and the guy threw a great game. But there's nothing but optimism about all our players and our offense, for sure. We'll be ready to go (Saturday)."

TV: 4:08 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Max Scherzer (1-0, 2.77 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (0-0, 0.00)

Scherzer was in fine form in Game 4 of the NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowing one run and four hits over seven innings after being derailed by back and shoulder injuries during the second half of the season - which included a 5.16 ERA in September. "I feel healthy, feel great," Scherzer told reporters. "Really recovered off of these injuries that I had in the middle of the year and made the progression back kind of all the way through September to get to this point where I really feel good about myself and what I can do with the baseball." The 35-year-old Scherzer is 0-2 with a 5.27 ERA in two starts this season against St. Louis - his hometown team - and owns a 2-6 record and a 3.31 ERA in 11 career outings versus the club.

Wainwright was dominant in a no-decision against Atlanta in Game 3 of the NLDS, scattering four hits over 7 2/3 scoreless innings and indicated he may need another such effort while matched up against Scherzer. "Certainly any time you're competing against a guy like that, you know you got to put zeros up," the 38-year-old Wainwright told reporters. "Our offense is very dynamic, there's a lot of people that can do some cool things, but a pitcher like Max is capable of going out and shutting anybody out." Wainwright is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA versus Washington this season and 10-4 with a 3.10 mark in 17 career appearances (15 starts) against the team.

WALK-OFFS

1. Nationals closer Daniel Hudson was placed on the paternity list and missed Game 1 due to the birth of a daughter in Phoenix but is scheduled to fly to St. Louis on Saturday. Fellow RHP Wander Suero will be removed from the 25-man roster when Hudson returns.

2. St. Louis 1B Paul Goldschmidt is just 2-for-25 with 14 strikeouts against Scherzer, while Washington 1B Ryan Zimmerman is 12-for-34 with two homers and five doubles versus Wainwright.

3. Gomes went 2-for-3 with a walk while starting in place of fellow C Kurt Suzuki (concussion), who may be available for Game 2.

PREDICTION: Nationals 4, Cardinals 2