San Diego @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( May 17, 2015 ) Washington 10, San Diego 5

The Washington Nationals are doing their part recently with series wins against teams with losing records, but they need the New York Mets to start losing in order to make up some ground in the National League East. The Nationals will continue scoreboard watching when they host the San Diego Padres in the opener of a three-game series on Monday.

Washington, which trails the Mets by 5 1/2 games, took two of three each from Colorado and Milwaukee in its last two series to pull back to one game over .500 (62-61). The Nationals can look to 23 games against struggling teams such as Philadelphia, Miami and Atlanta for help from the schedule and they need to continue to take care of business against sub-.500 squads like the Padres. San Diego was on the verge of becoming a .500 team before a 10-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday snapped a five-game winning streak. Padres pitchers allowed a total of eight runs during that winning streak, and James Shields will try to get the staff back on that track when he goes up against Stephen Strasburg on Tuesday.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH James Shields (9-5, 3.74 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (7-6, 4.22)

Shields snapped a five-start winless streak by scattering five hits and striking out seven in six scoreless innings against Atlanta on Aug. 18. The 33-year-old has allowed three or fewer earned runs in six of his last seven starts. Shields is facing Washington for the first time as a member of the Padres and is 4-3 with a 4.75 ERA in 13 road starts.

Strasburg has been on fire since coming off the disabled list on Aug. 8, going 2-1 with three earned runs allowed in 20 innings over his last three starts. The San Diego native has 25 strikeouts and two walks in that span and yielded two hits in seven frames at Colorado on Wednesday. Strasburg is 4-1 with a 3.60 ERA in five career starts against his hometown team.

WALK-OFFS

1. Padres C Derek Norris (wrist) could return Tuesday after sitting out Sunday’s contest.

2. Washington 2B Anthony Rendon has homered in each of the last two games, bringing his season total to three in 43 contests.

3. San Diego RF Matt Kemp has hit safely in 15 straight games.

PREDICTION: Nationals 5, Padres 2