Philadelphia @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 26, 2015 ) Philadelphia 1, Washington 2

The Washington Nationals host the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game series less than 24 hours after being officially eliminated from playoff contention. The Nationals, who were picked by many experts before the season to reach the World Series, could only watch as the New York Mets clinched the National League East title Saturday afternoon.

Washington edged the Phillies 2-1 in 12 innings after Bryce Harper’s walk-off RBI double Saturday, snapping a four-game losing streak that had all but sealed their fate. Harper, a top candidate for NL MVP, broke out of a 0-for-10 drought with three hits Saturday and pulled within four of his first 100-RBI campaign. The Phillies have dropped a league-high 55 games on the road – the most they have lost away from home since 1942. Darin Ruf is 4-for-8 with three runs scored and a homer in the series for Philadelphia, which is 2-6 on its current road trip.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, MASN 2 (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Aaron Harang (6-15, 4.93 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (11-8, 3.94)

Harang snapped an eight-game winless drought when he allowed two runs and seven hits across seven innings at Miami on Tuesday. It was only the second time in the last 19 starts that the 37-year-old completed at least seven frames. Harper is 10-for-22 with a homer and Dan Uggla is 9-for-30 with a pair of blasts overall against Harang, who is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in three starts versus the Nationals in 2015.

Gonzalez gave up four runs in 4 2/3 innings against Baltimore to lose on Tuesday after limiting Philadelphia to two runs over seven frames in a victory on Sept. 16. That outing was the only time in the last eight starts that the 30-year-old went past six innings. Ruf is 8-for-21 with two doubles, seven walks and three homers against Gonzalez, who is 8-5 (2-1 in 2015) with a 2.99 ERA lifetime versus the Phillies.

WALK-OFFS

1. Harper tied Ken Singleton (1973) for the franchise single-season record with 123 walks and boasts 117 runs scored -- two shy of Alfonso Soriano’s club record.

2. Philadelphia’s starting pitchers have allowed nine earned runs in 51 innings on its current road trip.

3. The Nationals, who are 45-34 at home, have won 12 of the 18 games against the Phillies this season.

PREDICTION: Nationals 5, Phillies 3