Marlins at Nationals
The Washington Nationals finished a 3-3 road trip on a positive note and look to take that momentum into a nine-game homestand that begins Monday with the first of four contests against the Miami Marlins. Matt Wieters belted a grand slam to help the Nationals rally from three runs down for a 9-4 victory at the Chicago Cubs on Sunday and maintain their 13-game lead over second-place Miami in the National League East.
Daniel Murphy has rebounded from a brief slump to go 7-for-15 with a pair of homers in his last four games for Washington while fellow All-Star Bryce Harper went 5-for-14 in the series against the Cubs but is batting .212 versus the Marlins in 2017. Two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer is expected to get the start for the Nationals on Monday after dealing with neck issues last time out against Miami, which sends rookie Chris O’Grady to the mound for the series opener. The Marlins avoided a three-game sweep at Atlanta with a 4-1 triumph on Sunday as Marcell Ozuna launched a three-run homer in the first inning of the team's seventh win in 11 contests. Giancarlo Stanton extended his hitting streak to five games with a single on Sunday and remains one shy of tying his career high of 37 homers that he set in 2012 and matched two years later.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Florida (Miami), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins LH Chris O’Grady (2-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Max Scherzer (12-5, 2.21)
O’Grady allowed six runs, seven hits - two homers - and two walks over three innings last time out against Washington but escaped with a no-decision. The 27-year-old George Mason product had given up fewer than four runs in each of his first four major-league starts, including an outing on July 27 in which he blanked Cincinnati over seven frames. Howie Kendrick is 2-for-2 with a homer versus O’Grady, who has allowed right-handed batters to hit for a .323 average.
Scherzer left Tuesday's outing against Marlins after one scoreless inning but appears ready to make his 23rd start this season. The 33-year-old St. Louis native has won four straight decisions and permitted fewer than two runs in half of his 22 turns while leading the NL with 201 strikeouts in 146 1/3 frames. Christian Yelich is 7-for-21 with two homers versus Scherzer, who is 6-3 with a 3.45 ERA in 12 career starts against Miami.
WALK-OFFS
1. Wieters finished with six RBIs in the last two games of the series against Chicago after going 11 contests without one.
2. Miami C J.T. Realmuto is batting .366 while hitting safely in 40 of his 47 road games this year after going 4-for-8 over his last two contests.
3. The Nationals went 27-11 against the Marlins from 2013-14 but are just 24-23 since, including 4-5 this season.