Miami @ Washington preview
Nationals Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 18, 2018 ) Miami 7, Washington 5
Jose Urena will take the mound for the first time since setting off a firestorm when the Miami Marlins visit the Washington Nationals on Sunday for the finale of their three-game series. Urena is appealing the six-game suspension he received for hitting Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr. with a 97.5-mph fastball on the first pitch of his last outing.
The Marlins snapped their six-game skid with a 7-5 triumph in 10 innings on Saturday - their third win in 18 games that evened the series. It was Miami’s fourth victory in its last 21 meetings with Washington dating to last season. The Nationals will try to resume that dominance in the finale and buoy their slim playoff hopes. Washington is six games behind St. Louis for the second wild-card spot and trails National League East-leading Atlanta by seven.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), MASN2 (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Jose Urena (3-12, 4.74 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (7-9, 4.12)
Urena has recorded only one win in his last nine starts, posting a 5.98 ERA over that span. The 26-year-old has registered only one quality start during that period, but it came against the Nationals as he worked six scoreless innings en route to victory on July 29. Urena is 2-2 with a 4.19 ERA in 10 career games (four starts) against Washington.
Gonzalez needs three more wins to reach double digits for the ninth consecutive season. The 32-year-old is 1-7 with a 6.12 ERA over his last 13 starts and was tagged for five runs over four innings in a loss at St. Louis last time out. Gonzalez is 10-3 with a 1.89 ERA in 18 career turns against the Marlins, who haven’t beaten him since 2015.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington 2B Daniel Murphy has gone 17-for-44 during his 11-game hitting streak, while RF Bryce Harper is 11-for-26 during his six-game run.
2. Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg (neck) threw a bullpen session Saturday while RHP Kelvin Herrera (shoulder) threw a 15-pitch simulated game, and both could return Tuesday against Philadelphia.
3. Marlins RHP Kyle Barraclough, who has been on the disabled list since Aug. 10 with lower back stiffness, threw off a mound on Saturday and will throw one more bullpen session before he is either activated or sent on a rehab assignment.
PREDICTION: Nationals 7, Marlins 5