Marlins at Nationals
The Washington Nationals are on top of the National League after a 2-0 victory over the Miami Marlins in the opening contest of their three-game set. Washington is 9-2 in its last 11 games, including 7-2 on its current homestand. Miami, who are 2-5 on the road, have lost four of their previous five meetings with the Nationals.
Rick Ankiel was outstanding at the plate and in the field Friday. He went 3-for-3 with a solo home run and a double and chased down a deep shot to the center field wall in the eighth inning. Hanley Ramirez, who came into the series hitting .550 in the previous five games, was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts Friday.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington), FS Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Anibal Sanchez (1-0, 2.92 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (2-0, 1.42 ERA)
Sanchez has opened the season with back-to-back quality starts, giving up only four runs over 12 1/3 innings of work. The right-hander had been dominant against the Nationals, going 7-0 with a 2.06 ERA in 17 starts versus Washington.
Strasburg continues to live up to the hype. He went six innings, allowing two runs on six hits in a 6-3 win over Houston in his most recent trip to the bump. He is 2-1 with a career 2.82 ERA versus the Marlins. He pitched six innings of shutout ball against Miami in his final start of the 2011, giving up one hit and striking out 10 batters.
WALK-OFFS
1. Marlins second baseman Omar Infante (groin) missed his third straight game Friday and won’t start this weekend.
2. Miami’s No. 1 through No. 3 hitters were a combined 0-for-10 with five strikeouts Friday.
3. Washington has allowed only two home runs in 140 innings to start the schedule.