Chicago @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 6, 2015 ) Chi. Cubs 4, Washington 2

The Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals carried much different expectations into the 2015 season, but both are four games over .500 entering the finale of their four-game series at Nationals Park. Chicago, which appears a bit ahead of pace in its rebuilding process, improved to 3-3 on its nine-game road trip after Saturday's 4-2 victory over Washington, which is among the favorites to win the World Series.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon on Saturday raised eyebrows when he took out closer Hector Rondon after he walked Anthony Rendon leading off the ninth and replaced him with Pedro Strop, who retired the next three batters. Maddon, though, wasn't ready to hand the job to Strop. "Obviously (Rondon) has not been as sharp as we know he can be lately," Maddon told reporters. "For me it was about winning the game (Saturday). I'm not ordaining anybody new." Washington's Jordan Zimmermann - unbeaten in his last eight starts (4-0) - and Chicago's Kyle Hendricks take the mound in a rematch of Chicago's 3-2 victory at Wrigley Field on May 26 when each earned a no-decision.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, MASN 2 (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (1-2, 3.99 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Jordan Zimmermann (5-2, 2.88)

Hendricks yielded four runs and seven hits while striking out seven in six innings of a 5-2 loss at Miami on Tuesday after yielding one run in 16 innings over his previous two starts. The 25-year-old Californian, who sports a 1.18 WHIP, allowed only a solo home run to Bryce Harper and wasn't around when Addison Russell's RBI double in the ninth inning lifted Chicago to victory over Washington on May 26. The Cubs are 5-5 in Hendricks starts this season.

Zimmermann scattered six hits over eight innings and threw 105 pitches in a 2-0 victory over Toronto on Tuesday and boasts a 2.00 ERA over his last eight starts after posting a 6.14 ERA in losing two of his first three turns of the season. " He was in command from the first pitch, throwing it where he wanted to,'' Nationals manager Matt Williams told reporters about the 29-year-old Wisconsin native. ''Early on, he was keeping his pitch count down, which allowed him to go deep.'' Zimmermann is 1-4 with a 4.32 ERA in eight starts against the Cubs and has fared well against leadoff hitter Dexter Fowler (3-for-17, solo home run, seven strikeouts).

WALK-OFFS

1. Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo (4-for-10 with a home run, double and two walks versus Zimmermann) is 15-for-40 during his 11-game hitting streak, raising his average 12 points to .328, after going 2-for-4 with an RBI on Saturday.

2. Nationals 3B Yunel Escobar missed his second straight contest Saturday because of a wrist injury and is unlikely to play Sunday.

3. Entering Saturday, Cubs batters led baseball with 3.99 pitches per plate appearance -- just ahead of Boston (3.98).

PREDICTION: Nationals 3, Cubs 2