San Diego @ Washington preview
Nationals Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 24, 2024 ) San Diego 12, Washington 3
The San Diego Padres look to complete a three-game sweep when they visit the Washington Nationals in a Thursday matinee.
The Padres pounded out 20 hits in routing the Nationals 12-3 on Wednesday night for their fourth straight win. San Diego improved to 5-0 against Washington this season.
San Diego right-hander Dylan Crease (9-8, 3.76 ERA) opposes left-hander Patrick Corbin (2-9, 5.35) in the finale.
Crease has not allowed a run while winning his past two starts, stringing together 13 scoreless frames and giving up two hits while striking out 21 batters and walking four.
"It says he's a pretty dominant, top-of-the rotation kind of guy," manager Mike Shildt said, "a guy that can help you when you get to the playoffs."
On Saturday against the Guardians, he went seven innings, striking out 10 and walking one in a 7-0 win.
Crease tossed seven scoreless innings to win his only prior career start against the Nationals on June 26.
Corbin is coming off one of his better outings of the season. On July 19, he allowed one run on three hits in six innings against the Cincinnati Reds to earn his first win since May 10.
"Corbin was good. Corbin was really good," manager Dave Martinez said. "He pitched really well. That's what we needed after four days off."
The veteran left-hander has allowed three earned runs or less in five of his last seven starts to lower his ERA from 6.15 to the 5.35 mark.
Corbin, who began his career in the National League West, is 7-11 with a 4.75 ERA in 25 games (20 starts) versus the Padres. He will be seeking his 100th career victory.
Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts each had four hits and Jurickson Profar homered for the second straight game in Wednesday's rout. Kyle Higashioka had three hits including a home run for the Padres, who trailed 3-0 after one inning.
"We don't always get the results every night, but generally speaking we take relentless at-bats," Shildt said. "Tonight was again one through nine contributions. Nobody gave anything away. Good situational hitting. Guys aware of what they were doing."
Merrill finished a homer short of the cycle and logged his third multi-hit effort in four games. Bogaerts went 4-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. Since being reinstated off the 10-day injured list on July 12, he has logged multi-hit efforts in six of his seven games, including each of his last four.
Juan Yepez homered to extend his hitting streak to 15 games, and Luis Garcia Jr. had two hits for the Nationals. Garcia is hitting .396 (19-for-48) with eight extra-base hits and nine RBIs over his last 13 games.
Lane Thomas went 1-for-3 with a walk to extend his on-base streak to 21 games.
Washington gets one more shot at the Padres on Thursday.
"They're a really good team; it starts there," Washington designated hitter Jesse Winker said. "We've played them tough. Outside of today, I feel like we've been in every game. It's just a good team. Sometimes you've got to tip your hat. They did everything tonight."
--Field Level Media