Washington @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 19, 2015 ) Washington 4, Colorado 1

Max Scherzer seeks to rebound from his worst outing of the season when the Washington Nationals close a three-game set against the host Colorado Rockies on Thursday. Scherzer was touched up for a season-high six runs in just three innings while losing to the San Francisco Giants on Friday.

Scherzer is winless in his past three starts as Washington suffered through a 4-13 stretch before winning the first two games of the series. Left fielder Jayson Werth is 4-for-10 in the series and smashed a tiebreaking two-run triple in the eighth inning in Wednesday's 4-1 triumph as the Nationals crept within 3 1/2 games of the first-place New York Mets in the National League East. The Rockies have dropped eight of their last nine games and possess the third-worst record (48-70) in the majors. Colorado right fielder Carlos Gonzalez has three solo homers in nine career at-bats against Scherzer.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Washington), ROOT (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Max Scherzer (11-9, 2.73 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Yohan Flande (2-1, 4.19)

Scherzer allowed two homers against the Giants and three in his previous outing when he received a no-decision against the Rockies. He gave up four runs and eight hits and struck out 10 in six innings in that contest and is 1-3 with a 4.33 ERA in six career starts against Colorado. Scherzer is 7-4 with a 2.41 ERA and a .199 batting average against in 13 road starts.

Flande is making his fifth start of the season, and one of them came when he received a no-decision while matched against Scherzer on Aug. 9. He allowed three runs — all on solo homers — and six hits in 4 2/3 innings and is 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA in three career starts against the Nationals. Flande wasn't involved in the decision in his last turn when he gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings against San Diego.

WALK-OFFS

1. Nationals 3B Yunel Escobar is 5-for-7 with a homer and four RBIs in the series.

2. Colorado C Michael McKenry will undergo season-ending knee surgery next week.

3. Washington 1B Ryan Zimmerman, who is 3-for-6 with three RBIs and four walks in the series, is 4-for-6 with two homers against Flande.

PREDICTION: Nationals 8, Rockies 3