Phillies at Nationals
The Philadelphia Phillies have only managed four wins so far this season, and three of those have come at the expense of the Washington Nationals. The Phillies will try to earn a split of the four-game series with their National League East rivals when they visit the Nationals for the finale of a four-game set on Sunday.
Philadelphia took the first two of a three-game set from Washington at home last weekend before dropping the finale to begin a six-game slide that continued through the first two games of the current set. The Phillies turned things around on Saturday when Ben Revere came on as a pinch runner in the seventh and scored the go-ahead run in a 5-3 triumph. The loss ended a three-game winning streak for the Nationals but did not slow the bat of Bryce Harper, who clubbed his fourth home run. The 22-year-old has homered in each of the last two games and has scored at least one run in five straight contests.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, MASN 2 (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH David Buchanan (0-2, 11.42 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (0-1, 6.75)
Buchanan is not having much success early in his sophomore campaign, allowing a total of 11 runs on 16 hits and six walks in 8 2/3 innings. The Georgia native at least made it into the sixth inning against the New York Mets on Tuesday, when he struck out three in 5 2/3 frames. Buchanan made one start against the Nationals in his 2014 rookie season and was reached for seven runs on 10 hits in six innings to absorb the loss.
Strasburg has been let down a bit by his defense in his first two starts but is still having some trouble staying out of the middle of the plate. The San Diego State product surrendered 19 hits in 10 2/3 total innings while striking out 10. Strasburg has had better luck against the Phillies, building up a 4-1 record with a 2.09 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 69 career innings against the division rivals.
WALK-OFFS
1. Phillies CF Odubel Herrera is 5-for-8 with three runs scored and two stolen bases in the last two games.
2. Nationals RHP Aaron Barrett has allowed one hit while striking out eight in 5 2/3 innings spread over six relief appearances.
3. Philadelphia 2B Chase Utley is 0-for-17 in the last four games and is 4-for-25 against Strasburg in his career.