Cincinnati @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 1, 2018 ) Washington 6, Cincinnati 5

The Washington Nationals stood pat at the trade deadline due in large part to principal team owner Mark D. Lerner believing that the team already had the pieces in place to turn around their fortunes. After completing an abbreviated two-game sweep to move over .500 again, the Nationals (54-53) look to continue their momentum on Thursday when they open a four-game series against the visiting Cincinnati Reds (48-60).

"At the end of the day, my family and (general manager) Mike Rizzo decided that we just couldn’t give up on this team," Lerner wrote in an open letter to Nationals fans on Wednesday. "We couldn’t look ourselves in the mirror knowing that we had simply thrown in the towel on a team full of talent and heart." Bryce Harper had an RBI single in Wednesday's 5-3 win over the New York Mets and is 12-for-36 with six extra-base hits and 11 RBIs in 11 games since the All-Star break. While Washington brought out the brooms, National League Central cellar-dwelling Cincinnati was on the wrong end of a sweep following Wednesday's 7-4 setback to Detroit. Eugenio Suarez joined three Reds with two hits and a run scored in that contest, but is 0-for-10 with four strikeouts in his career versus Thursday starter Max Scherzer.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Cincinnati), MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Tyler Mahle (7-8, 4.53 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Max Scherzer (15-4, 2.30)

Mahle was roughed up right out of the blocks in his last start on Thursday, surrendering two homers for the second straight outing and three runs total in one inning of work in a no-decision versus Philadelphia. "I'm missing spots," the 23-year-old rookie said. "It happened so fast. I didn't go to my breaking ball soon enough. When I did, I got swings and misses, but they were sitting on the fastball." Mahle owns an 0-2 mark in his last three outings after allowing 16 runs on 20 hits -- including five homers -- while seeing his ERA elevate by nearly one run.

Scherzer has answered four losing decisions with four wins in as many starts, highlighted by allowing an unearned run on three hits while striking out 11 in eight innings of a 9-1 romp at Miami on Friday. The three-time Cy Young Award winner has permitted 10 runs on 23 hits in 28 frames during his winning streak. Scherzer improved to 3-1 in his career versus Cincinnati after fanning 10 over six strong innings of a 2-0 win on Opening Day.

WALK-OFFS

1. Washington outscored Cincinnati 21-12 to win its first three contests of the season.

2. Reds 2B Scooter Gennett has answered a five-game hitting streak by going 0-for-7 in his last two outings.

3. Nationals 3B Anthony Rendon belted a two-run homer on Wednesday to hit safely in 14 of his last 15 contests.

PREDICTION: Nationals 3, Reds 1