Nationals at Dodgers
After a difficult end to a difficult road trip, the Los Angeles Dodgers
aim to right the ship at home when they begin a series Monday against
Washington. The Dodgers finished 2-4 on their trip - capped by Sunday night's
13-6 loss in a game they once led 5-1 - but still lead by three games in
the National League West over the slumping San Francisco Giants.
They may need to press on without second baseman Howie Kendrick, who left Sunday's contest with a left hamstring strain. The Nationals start their second 10-game road trip in a short span and hope this one goes a bit better than the last. That 3-7 excursion dropped Washington into a tie atop the NL East and Sunday's 6-4 loss to Colorado left the club 1 1/2 games behind the New York Mets. The Nationals lost two of three against the Dodgers last month, dropping the final two games against All-Stars Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, who start the last two contests in this series.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington), SportsNet LA (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (8-4, 3.75 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Brett Anderson (6-6, 3.06)
Gonzalez allowed two runs in five innings with seven strikeouts in a no-decision against Arizona on Wednesday. It marked the seventh consecutive start in which he has allowed two earned runs or fewer, going 4-0 with a 1.77 ERA in that stretch. The former first-round pick has a 2.50 ERA in three career starts against the Dodgers.
Anderson, who was Gonzalez's former teammate with Oakland, has revived his career with a solid run in Los Angeles, including a win at Philadelphia on Wednesday. He allowed a run and four hits in six innings, posting his seventh quality start in the last eight overall. Anderson has never faced the Nationals.
WALK-OFFS
1. Nationals 1B Ryan Zimmerman has two homers and three doubles during a four-game hitting streak.
2. Washington RHP Drew Storen has allowed six runs in two innings during his last two games after posting 14 straight scoreless appearances.
3. Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez has multiple hits in four of his last six games.