The St. Louis Cardinals figured to be a World Series contender, but they’re off to a rough start and in danger of being swept in their first road series of the season. The Cardinals, who have dropped six of their first eight games, will try to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the host Washington Nationals on Wednesday.
The Nationals slugged their way to a 14-6 win in Monday’s series opener and won 8-3 on Tuesday behind four hits and five RBIs from red-hot Daniel Murphy. Murphy has hit safely in all eight games so far with multiple hits in six of those contests. Washington might not need too much offense in the series finale, as two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, a St. Louis native, will be on the mound for the Nationals opposite fellow right-hander Mike Leake. The Cardinals are batting just .218 as a team and have had seven or fewer hits in five of their eight games.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Mike Leake (0-1, 1.13 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Max Scherzer (1-0, 2.70)
Leake had tough luck in his season debut against Cincinnati, taking the loss despite allowing one run on six hits and a walk over eight innings. The 29-year-old struck out six and needed just 92 pitches to get through the outing performing well during the spring (3-1, 3.81 ERA). Leake is 3-5 with a 4.71 ERA in 11 starts against the Nationals, and he hasn’t beaten them since 2011.
Scherzer was solid in his first start of the season, holding Philadelphia to two runs and four hits over 6 2/3 innings. The 32-year-old struck out seven and walked two, showing no noticeable sign of being bothered by the finger injury that hindered him during the spring. Scherzer is 1-3 with a 3.41 ERA in six starts against his hometown team.
WALK-OFFS1. Murphy is a career .309 hitter against the Cardinals but only 5-for-21 versus Leake.
2. St. Louis 1B Matt Carpenter, who was out of the lineup Tuesday after experiencing back tightness Monday, has had success against Scherzer (5-for-10, two doubles).
3. Nationals OF Bryce Harper is just 3-for-13 against Leake, but two of his three hits were home runs.