Phillies at Nationals
Odubel Herrera and the Philadelphia Phillies look to continue their hot streaks when they visit the Washington Nationals for the opener of a three-game series Friday night in a battle for second place in the National League East. Herrera boasts multiple hits in five of his last seven games and has homered in four straight for the Phillies, who have won four of their last five contests.
Herrera, who is 9-for-17 in his last four outings, is just one of several Philadelphia regulars warming up as Rhys Hoskins is 9-for-21 during a five-game hitting streak and Cesar Hernandez has hit safely in six straight contests. Zach Eflin goes after his fourth consecutive win when he takes the mound for the Phillies against fellow right-hander Tanner Roark, who has given up five homers in his last four outings. Washington, who leads Philadelphia by one-half game in the NL East, avoided a series loss to major league-worst Baltimore with a 4-2 victory on Thursday - just its third triumph in the last 10 outings. Nationals rookie Juan Soto continues his standout season with a tie-breaking, two-run double in the eighth inning Thursday and has hit safely in five straight games with four walks in that span.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, NBC 10 (Philadelphia), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Zach Eflin (4-2, 3.43 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Tanner Roark (3-7, 3.87)
Eflin extended his unbeaten streak to three at Milwaukee last Saturday when he allowed one run on three hits and one walk with six strikeouts over five innings. The 24-year-old Floridian has limited six of his eight opponents this season to two or fewer earned runs and walked just one each in his last five outings. Eflin, who faces Washington for the first time in his career, is 2-1 with a 3.29 ERA in five road starts in 2018.
Roark permitted four runs on eight hits and two walks at Toronto on Sunday, but earned a no-decision to avoid his second straight setback. The 31-year-old Illinois native owns 10 quality starts in his 14 starts this year, including May 5 when he held Philadelphia to three runs over 6 1/3 innings in a loss. Herrera is 13-for-31 with five doubles versus Roark, who is 6-7 with a 3.98 ERA in his career against the Phillies.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington RF Bryce Harper was 1-for-1 with two walks and a sacrifice fly Thursday from the leadoff spot after going 2-for-32 in his previous nine games.
2. Philadelphia placed INF J.P. Crawford (hand) on the 10-day disabled list, recalled INF Mitch Walding from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and optioned RHP Jake Thompson to the same affiliate.
3. Nationals 3B Anthony Rendon is 9-for-19 with five runs, four doubles and four RBIs during a five-game hitting streak after homering Thursday.