Padres at Nationals
Matt Kemp and the San Diego Padres haven't been shy about flexing their muscle of late. With six homers in his last six outings, Kemp looks to continue his torrid stretch as the Padres vie for a series victory on Saturday when they play the second contest of the three-game set against the host Washington Nationals.
Kemp went deep in the first to extend San Diego's franchise record to 20 straight contests with a homer and added a three-run shot in the fifth in the 5-3 victory on Friday. The 31-year-old might not find it so easy versus Saturday starter Max Scherzer, against whom he is 1-for-27 with nine strikeouts in his career. While San Diego snapped a four-game skid by winning the series opener, Washington has dropped four of five to see its lead atop the National League East dip to 4 1/2 games. Jayson Werth homered in the first inning on Friday to reach base for the 26th straight game and has four runs scored in as many contests versus the Padres this season.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Edwin Jackson (1-1, 4.76 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Max Scherzer (10-6, 2.94)
Jackson carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning in his San Diego debut on Sunday before Conor Gillaspie belted a three-run homer. The 32-year-old was far from flawless before Gillaspie's blast, however, as he issued five free passes before picking up the win against San Francisco. Jackson will face the team with which he spent the 2012 season, against which he won his lone decision in 10 career encounters.
Scherzer owns a 5-2 mark with a 1.61 ERA and 81 strikeouts in his last nine starts (61 1/3 innings), but settled for a no-decision on Sunday despite allowing one run in seven frames. The 31-year-old also did not record a decision in his last meeting with San Diego on June 18 despite striking out 10 and permitting one run on four hits in six innings. Wil Myers took Scherzer deep in the first inning of that contest and is 4-for-6 with two solo homers in his career versus the hurler.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington 2B Daniel Murphy went deep in the eighth inning on Friday for his fifth homer and 14th RBI during his nine-game hitting streak.
2. San Diego LF Alex Dickerson is 2-for-19 in his last six contests.
3. Nationals C Wilson Ramos, who is riding a 10-game hitting streak, had three singles on Friday to improve to 7-for-16 versus the Padres this season.