Washington @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 8, 2014 ) Washington 6, San Diego 0

The San Diego Padres return home Thursday to begin a four-game series against the surging Washington Nationals, who have won 12 of their last 15 to move within 1 1/2 games of the first-place New York Mets in the NL East. San Diego stands one game over .500 after splitting a two-game set in Seattle.

The Padres likely will face the Nationals without outfielder Wil Myers, who is awaiting test results after injuring his left wrist sliding into third base Sunday. The versatile Yangervis Solarte is filling in for Myers, who has scored 28 runs as the team’s primary leadoff hitter. Nationals left fielder Jayson Werth is a career .194 hitter at Petco Park, but he continued to show signs of breaking out of a season-long slump with a three-run homer in Wednesday’s 9-6 win over Arizona. Right fielder Bryce Harper is hitting .308 with 12 home runs for Washington, which is seeking its sixth consecutive series victory.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Doug Fister (2-1, 2.87 ERA) vs. Padres RH Tyson Ross (1-3, 3.98)

After closing April with two shaky outings, Fister has opened the month with two quality starts. The former Fresno State star received a no-decision Saturday when he held Atlanta to three runs over 6 2/3 innings. Fister is facing San Diego for the first time since pitching for Seattle on July 2, 2011, when he was a hard-luck loser despite tossing nine innings of one-run ball.

Ross is winless in his last five starts, but he struck out six and allowed two runs in six solid innings against Arizona on Saturday. Control has been an issue for the 28-year-old, who issued a total of 16 walks in his first four starts but owns a 20-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his last three outings. Ross made his lone career start against Washington last June when he took a loss after allowing five earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Padres OF Matt Kemp was 4-for-37 on the team’s just-completed nine-game road trip.

2. Washington C Wilson Ramos is 23-for-59 during his career-high 15-game hitting streak.

3. San Diego is 4-14 when trailing after six innings.

PREDICTION: Nationals 6, Padres 4