Angels at Nationals
Howie Kendrick has made quite an impression since being acquired before the non-waiver trade deadline and looks to punish his former team again when the Washington Nationals host the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday afternoon. Kendrick, who spent 2006-14 with the Angels, belted a pair of solo homers in Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Los Angeles and is batting .386 since coming over in a trade from Philadelphia.
Kendrick and Daniel Murphy are both 4-for-8 over the last two contests with former MVP Bryce Harper (knee) on the disabled list while Wilmer Difo has hit safely in 10 straight games for the Nationals, who have won seven of their last nine and lead the National League East by 14 ½ games. Tanner Roark will try to keep it going for Washington in the finale of the two-game interleague set when he takes the mound against veteran Ricky Nolasco. The Angels saw their six-game winning streak come to an end while managing just three hits - including Cliff Pennington’s solo blast - in the series opener but look to get back on track and increase their lead for the second wild-card spot in the American League, which is a mere half-game over both Minnesota and Kansas City. All-Star Mike Trout recorded one of the hits on Tuesday and is batting .383 with four homers and 10 RBI this month while Los Angeles has won 10 of 14.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN West (Los Angeles), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Ricky Nolasco (5-12, 5.24 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Tanner Roark (9-7, 4.74)
Nolasco escaped with no-decisions despite allowing 10 runs in nine innings over his last two starts after posting quality starts in three of his previous four turns. The 34-year-old Californian has managed just one victory in seven outings since tossing a shutout against Seattle on July 1 and is 2-7 on the road. Ryan Zimmerman has homered three times off Nolasco, who is 11-7 with a 3.65 ERA versus Washington in his career.
Roark has recorded quality starts in four of his last five games while posting three victories, but he settled for a no-decision last time out against Miami after giving up two runs in six innings. The 30-year-old Illinois product has had control issues of late, issuing 12 walks in 17 1/3 frames over his last three starts. Cameron Maybin is 3-for-5 with a double versus Roark, who settled for a no-decision after scattering seven hits over 6 2/3 scoreless innings in his only career outing against the Angels on April 21, 2014.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles DH-1B Albert Pujols needs one homer to tie Sammy Sosa (609) for eighth place on the all-time list.
2. Washington recalled C Pedro Severino from Triple-A Syracuse for depth with OF Brian Goodwin (groin) unavailable and assigned RHP A.J. Cole to the Chiefs.
3. Trout needs two more blasts to join Eddie Mathews and Frank Robinson as the only players to reach 25 homers six times before the season they started at the age of 26.