Washington @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 3, 2014 ) Philadelphia 0, Washington 4

The Washington Nationals hope to continue their hot stretch Monday when they open a three-game road series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Washington has won 12 of its last 13 games, including Sunday's 14-6 victory over San Francisco in which Ian Desmond, Bryce Harper and Danny Espinosa all homered. Tanner Roark will get the nod for the Nationals, who enter this series leading the Atlanta Braves by eight games in the National League East.

The Phillies, on the other hand, sit in last place in the NL East despite taking two of three from St. Louis over the weekend. Ben Revere had two hits in Sunday's 7-1 triumph to tie Justin Morneau for the top spot in the NL with a .314 batting average. Philadelphia is 4-2 on its nine-game homestand and sends veteran right-hander A.J. Burnett to the mound Monday as he tries to snap a seven-start winless streak in which he has gone 0-6.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington), CSN Philadelphia

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Tanner Roark (12-7, 2.80 ERA) vs. Phillies RH A.J. Burnett (6-14, 4.42)

Roark has allowed one run or fewer in six of his last eight starts, including Wednesday's 3-2 win against Arizona in which he allowed only five hits over seven scoreless innings. The 27-year-old Illinois native has been up and down in two starts against the Phillies this season but held them to one run over seven innings when he faced them last month. Ryan Howard and Cody Asche homered against Roark when he yielded seven runs in four innings against Philadelphia back on May 3.

Burnett has given up 14 runs over 19 2/3 innings across his last three starts and in the outing before that he was ejected after 1 2/3 innings for arguing balls and strikes. That contest was at Washington, part of a four-start stretch against the Nationals this season in which Burnett has posted a 2-2 record and 5.06 ERA. Denard Span, Anthony Rendon, Adam LaRoche, Asdrubal Cabrera, Nate Schierholtz and Harper all have posted a batting average of .300 or better in at least 10 at-bats against Burnett.

WALK-OFFS

1. Phillies OF Marlon Byrd has struck out in all four at-bats against Roark in his career.

2. The Nationals lead the season series 8-5, and have averaged almost five runs per game against Philadelphia.

3. Washington RF Jayson Werth recorded two hits in all three games of the Giants series.

PREDICTION: Nationals 8, Phillies 5