Nationals at Astros
The Washington Nationals look to continue their domination of Houston when they visit the Astros on Wednesday for the middle contest of their three-game set. Washington recorded a 4-3 victory in the series opener to beat Houston for the ninth straight time and 13th in their last 14 meetings.
Matt Wieters slugged a two-run homer and Howie Kendrick contributed a two-run triple as Washington maintained its 13 1/2-game lead over Miami in the National League East. The Nationals are 4-1 during their seven-game road trip and have won nine of their last 12 overall contests. The Astros have dropped back-to-back games and are just 7-13 this month despite running away with the American League West. AL batting leader Jose Altuve (.358) is hitless in seven at-bats in the consecutive defeats after recording two hits in five of the previous seven contests.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington), AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Edwin Jackson (4-2, 3.43 ERA) vs. Astros RH Mike Fiers (7-8, 4.32)
Jackson has won back-to-back starts, allowing just two runs over 13 innings. The 33-year-old journeyman has posted a solid 1.11 WHIP in six starts for the Nationals and has struck out 29 while issuing only eight walks. Jackson is 2-1 with a 4.31 ERA in seven career appearances (six starts) against the Astros, with his most-recent outing coming in 2012.
Fiers has been torched regularly over his last five starts while going 0-4 with a 7.36 ERA. The 32-year-old has served up two homers in each of his last four outings and 30 on the season - the most in his major-league career. Fiers is 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA in four career appearances (two starts) against the Nationals.
WALK-OFFS
1. Astros RF George Springer is mired in a nine-game home-run drought and has gone deep once in 48 at-bats this month.
2. Washington RHP Max Scherzer (neck) is expected to be activated from the disabled list Friday to start against the New York Mets.
3. Houston SS Carlos Correa (thumb) took batting practice on Tuesday and could begin a rehab assignment on Thursday.