Rockies at Nationals
Matt Wieters has averaged just 87 games played per season since 2014 due to injuries, but the Washington Nationals enter Sunday’s home series finale against the Colorado Rockies hoping their catcher is getting on track. Playing in just his fifth game of the season Saturday after suffering a left oblique strain, Wieters singled and homered in Saturday’s 6-2 victory as Washington snapped a three-game losing skid.
The 31-year-old Wieters, who has battled a series of injuries starting with Tommy John surgery in 2014, began the season 1-for-10 before going 2-for-4 on Saturday with two runs scored. Colorado’s three-game winning streak ended as the Rockies were smothered by Washington pitching, finishing with only two hits, and have just four runs on seven hits the past two days. Center fielder Charlie Blackmon returned after missing the past four games with right quad tightness and hit a two-run homer in the first, the only Colorado hit until Ryan McMahon’s single with one out in the eighth. Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado dropped his appeal of a five-game suspension for fighting and began serving the punishment Saturday.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Denver), MASN2 (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Tyler Anderson (0-0, 5.65 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (2-1, 2.21)
Anderson started his season with a clunker against Arizona, but has rebounded in his past two starts. After allowing seven runs with four walks in 2 1/3 innings on March 30 at Arizona, the 28-year-old has surrendered two runs with two walks and 12 strikeouts in back-to-back six-inning outings against the Padres on April 5 in San Diego and Tuesday at home. Anderson received a no-decision in his only career start against Washington last April, giving up four runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Strasburg was outstanding in his last start on Tuesday against Atlanta, firing eight scoreless innings while allowing three hits and two walks and striking out eight. Entering Saturday, the 29-year-old ranked fifth in the National League with 21 strikeouts and has posted a 1.033 WHIP with five walks and 16 hits surrendered in 20 1/3 innings. Strasburg is 4-4 lifetime against the Rockies with a 3.97 ERA in eight starts, but has not faced Colorado since giving up nine runs in a 2016 start in Denver.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blackmon’s homer was Colorado’s 21st of the season, two behind St. Louis for tops in the National League.
2. Washington OF Moises Sierra, making his first big-league start since 2014 for Brian Goodwin (wrist), drove home two runs Saturday.
3. The Nationals also played without 3B Anthony Rendon, who left Friday’s game after fouling a pitch off his left big toe.