Miami @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 4, 2012 ) Miami 7, Washington 10

The Miami Marlins have finally begun to score some runs. But now the pitching is coming apart. The Marlins will attempt to put both phases together in order to split a four-game series when they finish up with the Washington Nationals on Sunday. The Nationals pulled out a wild victory Saturday and have their offense humming with Jayson Werth joining the party. Adam LaRoche is on fire and Danny Espinosa is pulling out of a long slump.

Miami had averaged 2.1 runs in its 15 games before arriving in Washington but has recovered to total 16 runs in the first three games of the series. But the pitching staff let the offense down in the opener of Friday’s doubleheader and again on Saturday, when Mike Dunn squandered a 6-4 lead in the eighth by serving up six runs. LaRoche homered twice Saturday and has four home runs and seven RBIs in the last four games. Espinosa, who entered Saturday in a 3-for-37 slump, hit the key three-run homer in the eighth and had his first multi-hit game since July 25.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), MASN2 (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Ricky Nolasco (8-10, 4.90 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (11-5, 3.12)

Nolasco has taken the loss in each of his last four starts while posting a 7.48 ERA. The burly right-hander has surrendered five home runs and issued eight walks in 21 2/3 innings during that span. The first of those poor starts came against Washington on July 15, when Nolasco was reached for four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 frames. He is 9-4 with a 4.14 ERA in 17 career games - 15 starts - against the Nationals.

Strasburg is creeping up on his presumed 160-inning limit this season and is coming off his worst start of the campaign, a four-inning effort against Philadelphia on Monday in which he allowed six runs and eight hits to absorb the loss. The right-hander has pitched 121 1/3 innings to this point and beat the Marlins with six scoreless frames on July 15. Strasburg has totaled 12 scoreless innings against Miami in 2012 and is 3-1 with a 1.83 ERA in six career starts against the Marlins.

WALK-OFFS

1. Marlins SS Jose Reyes has hit safely in a career-high 23 games, matching the longest streak in the majors this season.

2. Nationals rookie OF Bryce Harper snapped a seven-game streak without an extra-base hit with a solo home run Saturday, going back-to-back with Espinosa in the eighth.

3. Miami RF Giancarlo Stanton (knee) is alternating between playing the outfield and serving as designated hitter during his rehab assignment. He is penciled in to rejoin the Marlins on Tuesday.