Phillies at Nationals
The Washington Nationals have answered a lackluster start with a strong surge, so much so that first-year manager Dave Martinez is having trouble keeping track of the victories. The Nationals (16-16) have countered a 1-6 stretch with a season-high five-game winning streak heading into Friday's opener of a three-game series versus the visiting Philadelphia Phillies (17-13).
"For us to gather four or five wins in a row, it's awesome. I just want them to keep going, keep playing hard. That's it," Martinez said after Washington completed a four-game sweep of Pittsburgh with a 3-1 victory on Thursday afternoon. Wilmer Difo is 9-for-15 with one homer, three RBIs, six runs scored and five walks during his six-game hitting streak for the Nationals, who will bid to move above .500 for the first time since they were 6-5 on April 10. Philadelphia, which has been as high as seven games above .500 this season, applied the brakes on a four-game losing skid with an emphatic 6-0 romp over Miami on Wednesday. Maikel Franco had a pair of doubles to give him nine hits in his last eight games heading into a matchup versus Friday starter Gio Gonzalez, against whom he is 1-for-19 with four strikeouts.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Nick Pivetta (1-1, 3.27 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (3-2, 2.67)
Pivetta permitted more than three runs, five hits and two walks for the first time this season on Saturday as he added one to all three totals in a 4-1 setback versus Atlanta. The 25-year-old British Columbia native was taken deep for the second straight outing after keeping the ball in the park in each of the previous four. Ryan Zimmerman is 4-for-6 with a homer and three RBIs versus Pivetta, who has allowed four homers, eight runs and 14 hits in a pair of starts (9 2/3 innings) against Washington.
Gonzalez rebounded from what he perceived to be an early hook to work his longest outing of the season on Sunday. The 32-year-old tossed a season-high 114 pitches and surrendered just one run while striking out eight over seven innings in a 3-1 triumph against Arizona. Gonzalez has flustered Franco and Aaron Altherr (2-for-17, seven strikeouts) while sporting a 10-7 mark in 23 career encounters against Philadelphia.
WALK-OFFS
1. Philadelphia rookie INF Scott Kingery expects to play on Friday after he was hit in the right arm with a 98-mph fastball from Marlins RHP Tayron Guerrero.
2. Washington SS Trea Turner has 14 hits, eight RBIs and six runs scored during his last eight games.
3. Phillies RHP Jerad Eickhoff (strained right lat) is slated to throw live batting practice on Friday.