Rangers at Nationals
Tanner Roark is bidding to become the third seven-game winner for the Washington Nationals when they host the Texas Rangers on Friday night in the opener of a three-game interleague series. The Nationals kicked off a seven-game homestand with a 6-1 win over Baltimore in a makeup game Thursday to improve to 8-2 in their last 10.
Roark will have a tough act to follow after Washington received another pitching gem from Joe Ross on Thursday, giving the starting rotation a 0.45 ERA with 34 strikeouts versus three walks over 20 1/3 innings in the past three games. Leadoff batter Trea Turner has hit safely in five straight games and eight of nine, going 16-for-41 with nine runs scored in that span. Rangers right-hander Andrew Casher got an elephant off his back in his last start of May, ending an 18-start road winless streak dating to September 2015. Texas has dropped 11 of 14 and is in the midst of a brutal schedule to start the month of June with nine of the first 11 games against Houston and the Nationals, the teams with the two best records in baseball.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), MASN2 (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Andrew Cashner (2-5, 3.39 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Tanner Roark (6-2, 3.95)
There was no carry over from Cashner's streak-busting win on the road as he was battered for five runs and a season-worst 11 hits over six innings by Houston in his last turn. His win at Toronto on May 28 marked the fifth quality start in a span of six outings before the pounding by the Astros. Cashner is 2-4 with a 4.50 ERA in 12 career appearances (seven starts) versus Washington.
Roark bounced back from a four-start winless drought by winning his last three outings, pitching at least seven innings in each while allowing a combined five earned runs. The 30-year-old has curbed the issues with his control during the winning streak, allowing only two walks in 21 2/3 innings. Catcher Jonathan Lucroy has enjoyed success against Roark, going 5-for-13.
WALK-OFFS
1. Nationals RF Bryce Harper snapped out of a 2-for-21 slump with three hits Thursday.
2. Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre is sidelined with an ankle injury and could be headed for the disabled list.
3. Nationals OF Jayson Werth is still on crutches waiting for the swelling in his injured left foot to subside.