Tampa Bay @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 14, 2009 ) Washington 4, Tampa Bay 5

Washington takes on its fourth consecutive American League East opponent when it opens a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. The Nationals hope to rebound after AL East leader New York outscored Washington 16-6 en route to a three-game sweep last weekend. The Nationals lead the New York Mets by four games in the NL East. Tampa Bay, which makes its first trip to Washington, sits four games behind the red-hot Yankees.

Tampa Bay’s David Price looks to become the American League's second nine-game winner and rebound from a rotten outing his last time out. Washington starts Chien-Ming Wang, who has split his first four starts of the season. The Rays have dropped four of their past six. The Nationals lead the majors in team ERA (3.00), while the Rays rank second in the AL and sixth overall (3.50).

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), MASN2 HD (Washington).

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tampa Bay LH David Price (8-4, 3.01 ERA) vs. Washington RH Chien-Ming Wang (2-2, 4.67 ERA).

Price was hit hard in his last start Wednesday against the Mets, surrendering nine hits and seven earned runs in five rocky innings. Price had won his previous two starts, allowing seven hits across 12 1/3 innings.

Wang makes his fifth start of the season, looking to build off a solid two-run, four-hit, performance in his last outing last Tuesday at Toronto. The victory snapped a two-loss winning streak for the 32-year-old right-hander.

WALK-OFFS:

1. Tampa Bay has surrendered just one earned run in the past 32 innings (0.27 ERA).

2. Washington's 19-year-old outfielder Bryce Harper had two hits on Sunday after going 0-for-7 in a 14-inning loss Saturday. Harper is hitting .294 with seven homers and 19 RBIs.

3. Prior to being swept by the Yankees, the Nationals had won six in a row.