Texas @ Washington preview
Nationals Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 22, 2008 ) Texas 5, Washington 3
Stephen Strasburg attempts to break a three-start winless streak and faces Texas for the first time when the Washington Nationals host the Rangers on Friday in the opener a three-game set. Strasburg is 0-2 over his last three outings despite going seven innings in each start and allowing a total of eight runs. The Rangers have won five of six games as they play in the city the franchise called home from 1961-71.
Texas is 6-2 on an 11-game road trip while the Nationals are mired in a stretch in which they have lost six of their last seven games. Washington lost consecutive games to the Miami Marlins – one game of the series was rained out – to begin what is now an eight-game homestand. The Rangers took three of four from the Minnesota Twins and outfielder Alex Rios enters the series with a 12-game hitting streak while third baseman Adrian Beltre has two or more hits in six of the past 10 games.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, KTXA (Texas), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Colby Lewis (4-3, 5.10 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (3-4, 3.42)
Lewis is 3-2 over his last five outings and has allowed a total of four runs in the three victories. He has been stellar on the road by going 3-0 with a 2.86 ERA in four such starts. Lewis was rocked for seven runs and seven hits in three innings while losing in 2003 to the Montreal Expos, the franchise that became the Nationals in 2005.
Strasburg lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates in his last turn when he gave up three runs and seven hits in seven innings. He has walked two or fewer batters in each of his last seven starts and has issued only 18 overall against 81 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings. Strasburg is 3-1 with a 2.35 ERA in six home outings this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington is 5-4 against the Rangers and won one of three at home in 2008.
2. Nationals OF Jayson Werth has just one homer and four RBI in 94 May at-bats.
3. Lewis will be slated to bat in a game for the first time since May 20, 2012 when he went 2-for-4 with two RBIs against the Houston Astros.
PREDICTION: Nationals 4, Rangers 2