Arizona @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 3, 2015 ) Arizona 6, Washington 4

The slumping Washington Nationals find themselves in unfamiliar territory as they reside in second place in the National League East. Washington looks to prevent its fifth straight loss and seventh in nine outings on Tuesday when they continue their four-game series against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks.

Washington has seen its offense go limp before a four-run uprising in ninth inning on Monday proved not to be enough as it fell one game behind the first-place New York Mets. Bryce Harper is 15-for-46 (.326) in his last 12 contests overall and carries an eight-game hitting streak against the Diamondbacks. For its part, Arizona has been quite streaky as it has won seven of nine after dropping nine of its previous 11. Welington Castillo continued his torrid stretch with one of his team's four homers in Monday's 6-4 victory in the series opener, improving to 9-for-23 (.391) with five blasts, six RBIs and eight runs scored in his last six contests.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Patrick Corbin (2-3, 3.21 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Max Scherzer (11-8, 2.22)

Corbin snapped a three-game skid after allowing one run on three hits in six innings of an 8-2 triumph over Seattle on Wednesday. The 26-year-old has permitted two earned runs or fewer and four hits or fewer in four of his five starts since returning from Tommy John surgery. Corbin has split two of his career decisions versus Washington, with a five-run outing over five innings in his last meeting.

Scherzer rebounded from a rare tough outing on Thursday by scattering three singles over seven scintillating innings in a 1-0 victory over Miami. The 31-year-old improved to 2-0 in his career versus the team that selected him with the 11th overall pick of the 2006 draft after permitting one run over seven frames in an 11-1 rout of Arizona on May 11. By his impressive standards, Scherzer has struggled at home by posting a 4-5 mark with a 2.70 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Washington 3B Yunel Escobar is 5-for-18 with one homer, two RBIs and two runs scored during his four-game hitting streak.

2. Arizona SS Nick Ahmed homered on Monday and is 6-for-8 in his last two games after going 4-for-53 in his previous 15.

3. Diamondbacks LF David Peralta also went deep on Monday and is 11-for-24 (.458) in his last seven contests.

PREDICTION: Nationals 3, Diamondbacks 1