Washington @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( May 30, 2015 ) Washington 5, Cincinnati 8

The Washington Nationals are shedding key players and its finally catching up to the team in the win column. The Nationals hope to have Bryce Harper back in the lineup when they attempt to avoid a three-game sweep at the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

Harper was a late scratch on Saturday with a bruised back suffered when he was hit by a pitched in Friday’s contest. That Friday loss also featured the early departure of right-hander Stephen Strasburg (shoulder), who was placed on the disabled list Saturday before Washington dropped an 8-5 decision to absorb back-to-back losses for the first time this month. The Reds have already ended a streak of four straight losing series and are looking for their first sweep since opening the season by taking three straight from Pittsburgh. Zack Cozart broke out of a slump with three hits on Friday and drove in the go-head run with a double in Saturday’s contest.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Washington), FSN Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Tanner Roark (1-2, 2.49 ERA) vs. Reds RH Michael Lorenzen (1-1, 3.12)

Roark was the odd man out of the Washington rotation when the team signed Max Scherzer in the offseason but finally got the call to step back up in place of Doug Fister (forearm) last week. Roark responded by holding the Chicago Cubs to one run and three hits in five innings to pick up a win on Monday. The 28-year-old is 1-1 with a 1.38 ERA in two career starts against Cincinnati.

Lorenzen has bounced from the rotation to the bullpen and back as needed for the Reds and is making his second straight start. The 23-year-old held Colorado to one run on two hits and three walks in seven innings but did not factor in the decision on Tuesday. Lorenzen is looking for his first home win and is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three games – two starts – in front of the Cincinnati fans.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds 1B Joey Votto homered in each of the first two games of the series.

2. Nationals 3B Yunel Escobar is 4-for-9 with four strikeouts in the series.

3. Cincinnati 2B Brandon Phillips (sore toe) returned to the starting lineup on Saturday and went 0-for-5.

PREDICTION: Nationals 5, Reds 2