Colorado @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 24, 2019 ) Washington 5, Colorado 9

The Washington Nationals missed out on a golden opportunity to gain ground in the National League East over the weekend, remaining 6 1/2 games behind Atlanta after splitting their four-game series. Washington hopes to at least strengthen its hold on the top wild-card spot when it begins a 10-game homestand Monday with the first of four contests against the Colorado Rockies.

The Nationals recorded only six singles in Sunday's 7-1 loss to the Braves as their advantage over Milwaukee in the NL wild-card race was reduced to one-half game. Kurt Suzuki notched two of the hits and Gerardo Parra drove in the lone run with a pinch-hit single for Washington, which ends its homestand with a three-game set versus Atlanta. Colorado remained five games behind the Brewers for the second wild card when it salvaged the finale of its three-game interleague series against the host New York Yankees on Sunday with an 8-4 triumph. Charlie Blackmon belted his 36th career leadoff homer during his four-hit performance to pass Bobby Bonds for ninth place on the all-time list as the Rockies halted their six-game overall losing streak and five-game road slide.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado), MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Peter Lambert (2-1, 6.06 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Erick Fedde (1-1, 3.50)

Lambert's winless streak reached five starts on Tuesday as he settled for a no-decision against San Francisco despite allowing two runs and six hits over six innings. The 22-year-old rookie from California, who has yet to face Washington, hasn't been victorious since defeating the Chicago Cubs in his first two career starts on June 6 and 11. Lambert will be making his third start on the road, where he is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA.

Fedde began the season in the bullpen but made his seventh consecutive start on Wednesday, when he settled for a no-decision at Baltimore after giving up one run and five hits over six innings. It marked just the third time the 26-year-old native of Las Vegas worked more than five frames but the sixth start in which he allowed three runs or fewer. Fedde lost both of his previous career starts against Colorado, surrendering 11 runs and 15 hits over eight innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Nationals 1B Ryan Zimmerman exited Sunday's game in the second inning with an apparent heel injury.

2. Colorado recalled RHP Jeff Hoffman and purchased the contract of LHP Sam Howard from Triple-A Albuquerque while optioning RHP Antonio Senzatela to the Isotopes and designating 1B Mark Reynolds, who batted .170 with four homers and 20 RBIs in 78 games this season, for assignment.

3. Washington placed Austin Voth (biceps) on the 10-day injured list and recalled fellow RHP Joe Ross, who yielded three runs and eight hits over 5 1/3 innings on Sunday in his first start of the season, from Triple-A Fresno.

PREDICTION: Nationals 7, Rockies 5