Nationals at Cubs
The Chicago Cubs have not lost a series at home in nearly three months and they can clinch another win at Wrigley Field when they continue a three-game set with the Washington Nationals on Saturday. The Cubs eked out a 3-2 victory Friday afternoon in the series opener to improve to 36-21 in "The Friendly Confines" while bumping their lead in the National League Central to three games over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Jason Heyward had a two-run single, Anthony Rizzo drew a go-ahead bases-loaded walk and six pitchers combined to work around nine hits for Chicago, which is 8-0-2 in its last 10 Wrigley series since being swept in a two-gamer against Cleveland on May 22-23. Coming off a 7-3 homestand, Washington went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base in dropping the opener of a seven-game road trip. The Nationals have been held to three runs or fewer in each loss of a 1-3 stretch and they sit six games out in the NL East entering Friday night action. Tanner Roark has been on an impressive roll for Washington and he'll try to keep it going Saturday when he starts opposite All-Star Jon Lester on Saturday.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1, MASN (Washington), ABC 7 (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Tanner Roark (6-12, 4.21 ERA) vs. Cubs LH Jon Lester (12-4, 3.44)
Roark is 3-0 with a 0.82 ERA over his last three starts, striking out 20 batters and walking one in 22 innings. The 31-year-old owns a 3.47 ERA on the road, compared to 5.00 at home. Roark has also found some success in his career at Wrigley Field, where he is 3-1 with a 3.24 ERA in five games (four starts).
While Roark is surging, Lester has been scuffling and owns an 8.53 ERA in four starts since the All-Star break. He has twice produced just one strikeout in that span and allowed six home runs during the rocky stretch. The 34-year-old allowed two runs over 9 2/3 innings in two appearances against the Nationals in the ALDS last October and has a 2.79 ERA in six career regular-season matchups.
WALK-OFFS
1. Nationals OF Bryce Harper went 1-for-3 with a walk after missing Thursday's game against Atlanta due to knee pain.
2. Rizzo has reached safely in 14 straight games and needs one hit for 1,000 in his career.
3. The Cubs signed LHP Jorge De La Rosa and optioned LHP Randy Rosario to Triple-A Iowa.