Marlins Look To Split Series With Nationals
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MIAMI (SportsDirect Inc.) -- The Washington Nationals entered play Wednesday with a major league-leading 1.98 ERA from their starting rotation, but a stellar performance from their bullpen has them in position to make it three straight victories over the Miami Marlins.
Ace Max Scherzer takes the mound for Washington on Thursday afternoon in the finale of a four-game set at Marlins Park.
Scherzer turned in a pair of dominant outings in Miami last year, picking up a pair of victories with 15 scoreless innings.
The Nationals could use a strong performance from Scherzer after Joe Ross exited Wednesday's game with a blister, forcing the bullpen to pick up the slack with seven innings of one-run ball.
Tom Koehler will oppose Scherzer for the Marlins, who are 1-7 at home and have dropped six of their last seven overall.
Koehler must contend with a red-hot Bryce Harper, who is 8-for-26 with five home runs and 10 RBIs against him and has knocked in 16 runs during his current seven-game RBI streak.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington), FSN Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Max Scherzer (2-0, 3.15 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Tom Koehler (0-2, 6.30)
Staked to a three-run lead before he even took the mound, Scherzer dominated Philadelphia with seven innings of one run ball, striking out seven and allowing a solo homer among five hits on Saturday. He struggled in his previous turn versus Atlanta but still notched the victory despite permitting four runs on six hits over six innings. Scherzer was 3-1 with a 2.75 ERA in five starts against Miami last season, although he must be wary of Dee Gordon (8-for-26).
Koehler struggled with his control against the Nationals in his season debut, walking four batters while being charged with two runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings. The 29-year-old New Yorker was shelled in his next outing against Atlanta, lasting only 3 2/3 innings while giving up six runs (five earned) on nine hits. He has labored in 10 starts against Washington, logging a 3-7 mark and 4.45 ERA while surrendering 12 homers in 60 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Nationals 2B Daniel Murphy is riding a 12-game hitting streak to lift his batting average to .429.
2. Marlins LF Christian Yelich has reached safely in all 13 games and has multiple hits in five of his last nine contests.
3. Nationals LF Jayson Werth left Wednesday's game in the fifth inning due to tightness in his hamstring.
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