Washington @ Arizona preview
Chase Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 21, 2014 ) Arizona 0, Washington 1
Bryce Harper looks to inflict some more damage with his hot bat when the Washington Nationals open a three-game series against the host Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday. Harper is 10-for-16 with six home runs and 13 RBIs over his last four games while Washington is sailing with 10 victories in its last 12.
Harper didn’t go deep in Sunday’s contest as the Nationals completed a three-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves. But the right fielder did hit three homers on Wednesday against the Miami Marlins and then blasted three in the first two contests versus Atlanta. Max Scherzer was moved up a day to start on Monday as Nationals star Stephen Strasburg is dealing with a shoulder issue. Arizona gained a four-game split with San Diego on Sunday as Aaron Hill and A.J. Pollock each hit solo homers in a 2-1 victory.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Washington), FSN Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Max Scherzer (2-3, 2.11 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Josh Collmenter (3-3, 3.40)
Scherzer has pitched in bad luck most of the season, then picked up in a win on Wednesday against Miami while having his worst performance. He gave up five runs and 10 hits in seven innings versus the Marlins after allowing just five earned runs over his first five starts. Scherzer, who started his career with Arizona, defeated the Diamondbacks as a member of the Detroit Tigers in 2010, when he gave up one run and four hits in seven frames.
Collmenter is looking for his third consecutive victory after defeating Colorado in each of his last two turns. He gave up five runs and 10 hits – including three homers – in seven innings while beating the Rockies on Wednesday. Collmenter is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA in four career appearances (two starts) against the Nationals.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington went 6-1 against the Diamondbacks last season.
2. Arizona 1B Paul Goldschmidt went hitless in three at-bats on Sunday but is 22-for-50 with four homers and 11 RBIs over his last 12 games.
3. Harper is batting .325 in 40 career at-bats against Arizona but hasn’t hit a homer.
PREDICTION: Nationals 5, Diamondbacks 3