Cincinnati @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 2, 2018 ) Cincinnati 4, Washington 10

Former National League MVP Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals are beginning to gain steam and they look to pick up their fourth straight victory when the Cincinnati Reds visit for the second of a four-game set Friday night. Harper belted his 26th homer and added a single for his third straight two-hit game Thursday as Washington pulled away for a 10-4 victory to remain in striking distance of first place in the NL East.

Harper is 11-for-27 with 11 RBIs in his last eight games and Trea Turner, who also went deep Thursday, is 14-for-34 over his last seven contests as the Nationals held serve just five games back in the division. Left-hander Gio Gonzalez hopes to snap a winless drought of more than two months when he takes the mound for Washington on Friday, while the Reds counter with right-hander Anthony DeSclafani. Cincinnati has dropped three straight contests overall and lost all four meetings with the Nationals this season after giving up six runs in the second inning Thursday. Eugenio Suarez homered in the loss for the Reds while moving one ahead of last year’s career high with 83 RBIs and one shy of his career best of 26 blasts in 2018.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Anthony DeSclafani (4-3, 5.47 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (6-7, 3.78)

DeSclafani has not completed five innings in any of his last three starts while allowing 12 runs on 16 hits (five homers) across 12 innings combined. The 28-year-old New Jersey native has served up 14 homers in his last eight starts after surrendering one in the first two outings of the season. Daniel Murphy is 4-for-8 with a homer and five RBIs versus DeSclafani, who is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in six career appearances (three starts) against Washington.

Gonzalez hopes to get off to a strong start in August after going winless in his past 10 starts, and he owns a 5.94 ERA since his last win May 28 at Baltimore. The 32-year-old Floridian, who has a 3.09 ERA at home in 2018, is coming off his best effort during his slide Saturday when he limited Miami to one run and three hits in a no-decision. Joey Votto is 9-for-24 with three homers and four walks against Gonzalez, who is 5-2 with a 2.47 ERA in 10 career outings versus the Reds.

WALK-OFFS

1. Votto, who was 0-for-2 with two walks Thursday, is four RBIs from tying Ted Kluszewski (886) for seventh on the club’s all-time list.

2. Murphy is 24-for-59 since July 8 after going 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored in Thursday’s victory.

3. Cincinnati OF Preston Tucker is 2-for-8 with an RBI in his first two games with the team after being acquired from Atlanta on Monday.

PREDICTION: Nationals 5, Reds 3