Padres at Nationals
Bryce Harper made the All-Star team and snapped out of a slump while the Washington Nationals started to put together a winning streak. Harper and the Nationals will be looking to push that streak to four games and complete a three-game sweep of the visiting San Diego Padres on Sunday. The Padres have lost eight straight games and 14 of their last 18.
Washington manager Davey Johnson suggested to the media that he would give his young slugger the rest of the series off after a hitless night on Friday dropped him to 1-for-19 in five games since coming off the disabled list. Harper talked his way back into the lineup and drove in three runs on Saturday, just before he was announced as a starter for the National League All-Star team. San Diego has solved some of its offensive problems in the first two games of the series but has not gotten the same effort from its pitchers.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, Fox Sports San Diego, Mid-Atlantic Sports Network 2 (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Robbie Erlin (1-1, 4.34) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (4-6, 2.24)
Erlin has bounced between the majors and the minors this season but will be making his second straight turn in the rotation after lasting only 3 2/3 innings and getting knocked around for three runs on five hits in a loss at Boston on Tuesday. The 22-year-old rookie had worked into the seventh inning in each of his previous two major-league starts. Erlin is 0-1 with a 7.94 ERA in three road games (one start).
Strasburg has surrendered two or fewer earned runs in each of his last nine starts and is coming off seven scoreless innings against Milwaukee in which he allowed three hits and struck out eight. The right-hander, who grew up in San Diego and went to college at San Diego State, is 1-1 in two career starts against his hometown Padres, including a win on May 16 in which he allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits in eight innings. Strasburg was left off the NL All-Star roster despite sitting third in the NL in ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. Nationals LHP Ross Detwiler (back) felt discomfort during a Saturday bullpen session and could have his next start skipped.
2. San Diego SS Everth Cabrera (NL-leading 31 steals) was the team’s lone representative when the All-Star rosters were announced.
3. Washington SS Ian Desmond is one of five NL players eligible for the final spot on the All-Star team.