San Francisco @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 7, 2014 ) Washington 2, San Francisco 3

Jake Peavy returns to the rotation for the first time in 2 1/2 months when the San Francisco Giants continue their six-game road trip at the Washington Nationals on Friday night. Peavy will face a difficult task in his first start since April 17, trying to cool off a club that has won nine of 12 overall and six straight games at home.

The Nationals were on a 9-1 tear before dropping their final two games in Atlanta, including a walk-off loss in the ninth inning against ace Max Scherzer on Thursday. Bryce Harper has hit safely in five straight games but has just one RBI in that span for Washington, which was held to one run in each of the last two losses against a pair of rookies who entered the series with a combined two major-league starts. San Francisco had won four of five before getting swept in a three-game series by Miami. Buster Posey homered and drove in a pair of runs in the series finale, giving him three blasts and 15 RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.

TV: 6:05 p.m. ET, ESPN, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Jake Peavy (0-2, 9.39 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (5-4, 4.41)

Peavy was 6-4 with a 2.17 ERA last season with the Giants after he was acquired from Boston, but he struggled in the World Series and got off to a rocky start this season. The former National League Cy Young winner served up a grand slam in a four-inning stint in his season opener and lasted only 3 2/3 innings in his next outing, allowing four runs on eight hits. Peavy is 4-5 with a 3.87 ERA in 12 appearances versus Washington.

Gonzalez halted a four-start winless drought with a superb outing against Pittsburgh on June 21, tossing seven scoreless innings of four-hit ball to earn the victory. He was unable to build upon that performance after his last start was postponed by rain in the top of the second inning. The 29-year-old is 2-2 with a 2.59 ERA in seven starts versus the Giants and has held the hot-hitting Posey to three singles in 14 at-bats.

WALK-OFFS

1. Giants OF Gregor Blanco is 16-for-33 with eight RBIs during a nine-game hitting streak.

2. Nationals CF Denard Span is 6-for-13 over the last four games.

3. Giants 1B Brandon Belt, who has an RBI in three straight games and five of six, is batting .318 with three homers in 12 games versus Washington.

PREDICTION: Nationals 6, Giants 3