Colorado @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 8, 2015 ) Colorado 1, Washington 6

The Washington Nationals attempt to win a series for the first time in three tries when they host the Colorado Rockies in the rubber match of their three-game set on Sunday. Since taking two of three at Miami from July 28-30, Washington was swept of a three-game series by the Mets in New York and split a four-game showdown with Arizona at home.

The Nationals dropped a one-run decision in the opener against Colorado before rolling to a 6-1 triumph on Saturday as Ryan Zimmerman and Wilson Ramos drove in two runs apiece while Stephen Strasburg returned from the disabled list to strike out 12 in seven strong innings and go 3-for-3 at the plate. Nolan Arenado produced the Rockies' only run with one of the team's three hits - his career-best 27th home run of the season. Charlie Blackmon recorded Colorado's other two hits for his fourth multi-hit performance in nine contests. The Rockies are 7-20 away from home since sweeping a three-game series at Philadelphia from May 29-31 to extend their road winning streak to four games.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Yohan Flande (2-1, 3.54 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Max Scherzer (11-8, 2.31)

Flande will be making his third start of the season, with all three coming on the road. The 29-year-old Dominican notched a victory over the Cubs in Chicago on July 28, allowing one run in five innings, before settling for a no-decision at St. Louis five days later after giving up two runs in five frames. Flande, who picked up the win against Seattle on Wednesday after tossing a scoreless inning of relief, is 0-1 with a 5.91 ERA in two career starts versus Washington.

Scherzer is coming off a no-decision against Arizona on Tuesday in which he yielded three runs on four hits and three walks over six innings. The 31-year-old native of Missouri also issued three free passes over seven scoreless frames in a victory at Miami on July 30 after walking a total of three batters in his previous eight starts. Scherzer is just 1-3 with a 3.99 ERA in five career outings against Colorado.

WALK-OFFS

1. Colorado has not won a road series since the sweep in Philadelphia at the end of May, going 0-8.

2. Washington, which sits 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Mets in the National League East, placed 2B Dan Uggla on the 15-day disabled list with back spasms.

3. The Nationals and Rockies conclude their season series with a three-game set in Colorado from Aug. 18-20.

PREDICTION: Nationals 6, Rockies 2