Nationals at Marlins
Right-hander Jose Urena is laboring through a frustrating season with the Miami Marlins, failing to win in each of his 10 starts and carrying an 0-7 record into Friday night's matchup against the visiting Washington Nationals. Breaking the slide won't be easy for Urena, who will be matched up against three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer.
Urena lost both starts against Washington during his breakout 14-win season in 2017 but he pitched a gem in a 1-0 loss at Marlins Park, allowing the one run on three hits over eight innings. Miami salvaged a .500 road trip by taking the final two games at the New York Mets, rallying for two runs in the ninth Wednesday to improve to 14-13 since opening the season with 17 losses in 22 contests. Scherzer looms as the early favorite to win his fourth Cy Young in six years, going 6-0 in nine starts since suffering his only defeat on April 4. The Nationals continue to struggle at home but have won seven of their last eight on the road and own an eight-game winning streak in the series against the Marlins.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Washington), FS Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Max Scherzer (7-1, 1.78 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Jose Urena (0-7, 4.55)
Scherzer had to settle for a no-decision against the Los Angeles Dodgers last time out despite striking out 13 and permitting only two runs and five hits over seven innings. He has yet to allow more than two earned runs in a start this season and has fanned at least 10 in seven of his 10 outings. Martin Prado is 13-for-30 with a homer off Scherzer, who went 1-1 with a microscopic 1.17 ERA in four starts versus Miami in 2017.
Urena's skid continued when he gave up four runs and five hits over six innings last time out but he also continues to be victimized by a lack of run support -- Miami had has scored 23 runs in his 10 starts and seven over his last five turns. All four of his quality starts, including the past three, have come at home, where he is 0-6 this season. Bryce Harper is 2-for-3 with a double and four walks versus Urena.
WALK-OFFS
1. Nationals LF Juan Soto, 19, was hitless in four at-bats Wednesday after going 3-for-5 with three RBIs in the first two games of the series.
2. Marlins C J.T. Realmuto was 5-for-10 in the last two games at New York but is 1-for-20 lifetime against Scherzer.
3. Miami's win on Wednesday was its first in 25 games when trailing after eight innings this season.