Phillies at Nationals
Expected to be the dominant force in the National League East, the Washington Nationals have yet to win back-to-back games this season. The Nationals can achieve that feat Thursday when they open a four-game home series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Washington had lost five of six before defeating Boston 10-5 in Wednesday's series finale, while Philadelphia lost all three games at Citi Field this week, including a 6-1 loss to the New York Mets on Wednesday. The Phillies turn to Cole Hamels, who has not received one run of support while in the game over his first two starts. The Nationals will counter with Doug Fister, who is looking to build off a strong season debut. Washington lost two of three against Philadelphia last weekend, managing only a 4-3 win in 10 innings in Sunday's finale.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, CSN Philadelphia, MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies LH Cole Hamels (0-1, 3.75 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Doug Fister (0-0, 0.00)
Hamels recovered from a poor season debut to toss seven innings of one-run, two-hit ball against Washington on Saturday. He struck out five that day, including all three matchups with Michael Taylor, but has gone 14 straight starts without recording 10 or more strikeouts. The former World Series MVP is 15-8 against Washington - one win shy of his high against any team - with a 2.59 ERA in 33 starts.
Fister tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings against Philadelphia on Saturday and has pitched 22 1/3 scoreless innings over his last three starts, including the 2014 postseason. Fister has held Ryan Howard and Chase Utley to a combined 5-for-26, although Ben Revere has a .321 average in 28 at-bats against the sinkerballer. Fister is 2-2 with a 2.12 ERA in five career starts against the Phillies.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington INFs Ian Desmond, Yunel Escobar and Danny Espinosa are a combined 17-for-96 (.177) with two RBIs against Hamels.
2. Nationals RHP Craig Stammen, who has posted a 2.85 ERA over the last four years, was placed on the disabled list Wednesday with forearm stiffness.
3. The Phillies are averaging 2.4 runs per game and have scored more than four runs only once.