Nationals at Cardinals
Former San Diego travel ball teammates Stephen Strasburg and Mike Leake
square off as major leaguers for the second time
when Strasburg's Washington Nationals visit Leake's St. Louis Cardinals
on Friday. Neither pitcher was involved in the decision on May 19, 2014
in a contest Cincinnati - Leake's team at the time - won 4-3 in 15 innings.
Strasburg and Leake were teammates as 11-year-olds, and the former went on to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 draft while the latter was taken seven selections later. Both hurlers were solid in the 2014 contest as Strasburg allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings and Leake gave up one unearned run and seven hits in 6 2/3 frames. Strasburg will be looking to help the Nationals end a three-game losing streak as they were swept by Philadelphia and shut out in each of the last two defeats. The Cardinals also were blanked on Thursday, recording only three hits in falling 3-0 to Arizona after scoring 19 runs while winning the first two games of the series.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Washington), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (3-0, 2.17 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Mike Leake (0-2, 5.64)
Strasburg has registered 31 strikeouts in 29 innings this season, including 10 in each of his last two outings. He had his worst showing of the season in his last turn, when he gave up four runs and seven hits in 7 1/3 innings against Minnesota. Strasburg is 0-2 in four career starts versus the Cardinals despite posting an impressive 2.81 ERA and 0.90 WHIP.
Leake hasn't allowed more than four earned runs in any of his starts, but opposing batters are hitting .304 against him. He received a no-decision in his last start, when he allowed five runs (three earned) and seven hits in five innings in a no-decision against San Diego. Leake is 3-3 with a 4.78 ERA in nine career starts against the Nationals and has struggled with Jayson Werth (7-for-19, one homer).
WALK-OFFS
1. The Nationals haven't scored in their last 22 innings.
2. St. Louis C Yadier Molina is batting .364 during his 10-game hitting streak.
3. Werth was 1-for-11 with five strikeouts in the series against Philadelphia.