Diamondbacks at Nationals
The Arizona Diamondbacks aim to get the early leg up on their bid to record a ninth straight series victory to begin the season when they play the opener of a three-game set at the Washington Nationals on Friday. The NL West-leading Diamondbacks (17-7) took two of three from Philadelphia to improve to 8-4 on the road heading into Washington (11-14), which is just 3-7 at home.
"The guys come every day prepared, ready to win. So if you beat us, you beat us prepared," said light-hitting Jarrod Dyson, who went deep for the second time in three outings as Arizona breezed to Thursday's 8-2 victory. The Diamondbacks have yet to suffer back-to-back setbacks this season as they head into the second leg of their six-game road trip. Washington answered a dismal four-game stretch in which it batted .179 and mustered eight runs by recording season-high totals in runs and hits (18) in Wednesday's 15-2 romp over San Francisco. Trea Turner matched a career high with five hits to finish 15-for-42 with seven runs scored during the team's nine-game road trip.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Arizona, MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Zack Godley (3-1, 3.09 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (2-2, 2.97)
Godley gave himself quite the birthday present on Friday, picking up his third win in four outings by overcoming a two-run double from Franchy Cordero in the first to strike out eight over 5 1/3 innings versus San Diego. The 28-year-old showed better control by surrendering one walk on the heels of issuing six free passes in a disastrous performance at the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 15. Bryce Harper (3-for-8) has gotten his licks in on Godley, but the right-hander owns a 2-1 mark against the Nationals while limiting them to a .225 batting average.
Strasburg has been plagued by the home run ball this season as he was taken deep twice to spoil a 10-strikeout performance in Saturday's 4-0 setback at the Dodgers. The three-time All-Star has surrendered six homers in five outings (33 1/3 innings) after permitting 13 during his entire 2017 campaign. David Peralta has a homer to highlight his 4-for-7 effort versus Strasburg, but the 29-year-old boasts a 4-2 record versus the Diamondbacks while keeping the rest of their bats in check (.219).
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington LHP Sean Doolittle has recorded at least two strikeouts in eight of his 10 appearances this season.
2. Arizona 1B Nick Goldschmidt had three hits in the series finale to improve to 8-for-20 with six runs scored in his last five contests.
3. Harper is mired in a 3-for-23 stretch in his last eight games, although he has 11 walks in that span.