Diamondbacks at Nationals
The Arizona Diamondbacks have to hope that one off day was enough to cool the bats of the Washington Nationals. The Nationals pounded out a franchise-record 23 runs on Sunday while Anthony Rendon made history with a 6-for-6 effort, and that attack will host a Diamondbacks staff that just worked 13 shutout innings in the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday.
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Rendon entered Sunday with no homers and five RBIs on the season but smashed three home runs and drove in 10 to join Walker Cooper of the 1949 Cincinnati Reds as the only two players in major-league history to record six hits and 10 RBIs in one game. Rendon broke Washington's franchise record for RBIs in a game and the team set an MLB record by scoring at least 14 runs for the fifth time in April. The Diamondbacks completed a 16-11 opening month and watched their pitching staff allow three or fewer runs for the fourth time in six games with a 2-0, 13-inning shutout of the Rockies - capped by Daniel Descalso's two-run, walk-off blast. Arizona right-hander Taijuan Walker is coming off his best start and will get a chance to quiet the Nationals offense while Washington counters with veteran Tanner Roark.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, MASN 2 (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Taijuan Walker (3-1, 3.94 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Tanner Roark (3-0, 3.64)
Walker matched a career high with 11 strikeouts Thursday while holding the San Diego Padres to two runs on four hits and no walks in eight innings. The 24-year-old failed to complete six innings in any of his previous three starts but worked efficiently against the Padres and needed 104 pitches to make it through eight frames. Walker, who came over from the Seattle Mariners in the offseason, owns 33 strikeouts and seven walks over 29 2/3 innings and is making his first career start against Washington.
Roark has yet to take a loss but lasted only five innings at Colorado on Wednesday while allowing two runs on five hits and four walks in a win. The Illinois product went two starts in a row without issuing a free pass but walked a total of seven batters in 11 2/3 innings in his last two starts to lift his WHIP from 0.89 to 1.18. Roark is just 1-1 in seven career appearances - four starts - against Arizona despite a 2.51 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP.
WALK-OFFS
1. Nationals RF Bryce Harper set an MLB record with 32 runs scored in April.
2. Arizona 2B Brandon Drury has hit safely in each of the last six games and recorded multiple hits in three of the last five.
3. Washington 1B Ryan Zimmerman is 11-for-18 with four home runs, 11 RBIs and eight runs scored in the last four games.